Southern District of Georgia
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Savannah man pleads guilty to drug trafficking and prostitution conspiracies, possessing machine gunRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A former California resident known for carrying a machine gun while perpetrating crimes has admitted operating a major drug-trafficking conspiracy.
Anthony Wilson Jackson, a/k/a “All Profit,” a/k/a “AP,” 49, of Savannah, pled guilty in U.S. District Court to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Marijuana; Conspiracy to Engage in Interstate Prostitution; Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; Illegal Possession of a Machine Gun; Possession of a Machine Gun in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; and Money Laundering Conspiracy, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.
The charges carry a minimum sentence of 30 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison, substantial fines and – if not a life sentence – a period of supervised release after completion of the prison sentence. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Anthony Jackson is a gun-carrying pimp who sold human beings just as freely as he trafficked in narcotics,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “His freedom, however, will now come to an end with substantial time in federal prison as his future.”
According to court documents and testimony, Jackson and two co-defendants – who also have admitted guilt in the case – operated a drug-trafficking operation that distributed thousands of pounds of marijuana throughout the Savannah area.
In addition, Jackson operated and advertised a prostitution business through an online classified advertising site that trafficked women in the Savannah area and in other cities including those in South Carolina, Virginia, California, Nevada, Maryland and Michigan.
Jackson, previously convicted of a felony, was known to carry firearms including a fully-automatic pistol while overseeing the drug trafficking and prostitution conspiracies.
“The plea today is another reminder that ATF and our local, state and federal partners will continue to work together and protect the safety of our citizens,” said Henry Countryman, Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
“Jackson and his organization preyed upon the community, distributing poison and destroying lives, thankfully their reign of terror is over,” said acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operations in Georgia and Alabama. “HSI along with its partners will continue to work tirelessly to combat criminal organizations that threaten our communities.”
“This is just another step by law enforcement to stand up to the threat of human and drug trafficking organizations who deal dangerous substances on our streets, while also selling human beings,” said Andrew Thornton, Jr., Acting Special Agent in Charge IRS-Criminal Investigations, Atlanta Field Office. “IRS-CI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners in an effort to dismantle illegal narcotics and human trafficking organizations by following the money and leveraging our resources.”
“One of the main goals of the Savannah Police Department is to target those who are using firearms to commit crimes,” said Savannah Police Chief Roy Minter. “This case and conviction shows the hard stance we, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, are taking in regard to these crimes and anyone who decides to jeopardize the safety of our city.”
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), IRS-CI, the ATF, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), and the Savannah Police Department, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tania Groover and E. Greg Gilluly.
Two women sentenced for child pornographyRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: Two women have received hefty federal prison sentences for producing and distributing child pornography.
Melanie Smith, a/k/a “Melanie Small,” 30, of Rincon, Ga., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Stan Baker to 360 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $3 million in restitution after pleading guilty to Production of Child Pornography, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. A co-defendant, Holly Clayton, 34, of Port Wentworth, Ga., was sentenced to 144 months in prison after pleading guilty to Distribution of Child Pornography.
The defendants’ federal incarceration will be consecutive to any sentence they receive for pending state charges of child molestation. In addition, Smith must serve 20 years of supervised release after completion of her 30-year federal prison sentence, and Clayton must serve 15 years of supervised release after completion of her sentence. There is no parole in the federal system.
“The prison time meted out to these defendants will protect our community for decades, though it pales in comparison to the lifetime of pain these vulnerable victims likely will endure,” said U.S. Attorney Christine.
According to court documents and testimony, Smith produced sexually explicit photos of minor children, and Clayton distributed images and videos of child pornography to others. Related charges against a third defendant are pending.
“These predators have stolen the innocence of these children, forcing them to be re-victimized every time those horrific images are viewed,” said acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees HSI operations in Georgia and Alabama. “HSI Atlanta will continue to prioritize our investigations and work with our partners to protect our youth.”
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Savannah Police Department and the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marcela C. Mateo and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katelyn Semales.
Defendant who conspired to steal aircraft secrets sentenced to 70 months in federal prisonRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A North Carolina man who took part in a conspiracy to steal design information from aircraft companies to speed up approval of competing airplane technology has been sentenced to nearly six years in federal prison.
Craig German, 59, of Kernersville, N.C., was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison by Senior U.S. District Court Judge William T. Moore Jr., said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. German, who pled guilty to Conspiracy to Steal Trade Secrets in September 2019, also was ordered to pay a fine of $2,000 and serve three years of supervised release after completion of his prison sentence. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Theft is theft, pure and simple. Any company’s intellectual property has value – not only in dollars, but in the amount of time and effort put into its creation,” said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “By stealing the trade secrets of his employer, German attempted a shortcut to his own enrichment and instead will take a long ride to prison.”
According to court documents and testimony, German agreed with his co-conspirators to steal trade secrets from aircraft companies in order to assist a competitor company in developing their own anti-ice aircraft technology. Without authorization, German copied anti-ice trade secret documents from the aircraft company for which he worked, and then emailed those documents to his co-conspirators.
“German chose to steal the secrets of a U.S. company rather than do the hard work necessary to succeed in the free market, and now he is paying the price,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “We are pleased by this sentence, and the FBI will continue to aggressively protect America’s economic security and intellectual property from foreign adversaries.”
The case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer G. Solari and Steven H. Lee.
Pill-mill doctor gets decades in prison for healthcare fraud, illegally dispensing massive amounts of drugsRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A Savannah doctor who operated a “pill mill” dispensing massive amounts of controlled substances – sometimes in return for cash or sex – has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison.
Dr. Frank H. Bynes Jr., 69, of Savannah, was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison by U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Bynes, who was found guilty in October 2019 by a federal jury on 13 counts of Unlawful Dispensation of Controlled Substances and three counts of Health Care Fraud, also was ordered to pay restitution of $615,145.06 to Medicare, Medicaid and Tricare, and after completion of his prison sentence must serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Frank Bynes poured gasoline on the raging fire of the opioid addiction crisis in our country,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “He destroyed the lives of countless individuals and deservedly will swap his white coat for a prison jumpsuit.”
According to court testimony and documents, Bynes worked at the MBA Community Clinic in Savannah, a/k/a MBA Diabetic Shoe and Supply Store, and at Georgia Laboratory Diagnostic in Garden City, where he wrote prescriptions for more than 1,800 patients. An estimated 51,329 pharmacy fills were attributed to Bynes during a three-year period in Georgia alone, totaling in excess of 4.6 million doses of pills, opioid patches and other controlled substances.
Many of the prescriptions were part of the so-called “holy trinity” drug cocktail of opioids, alprazolam and Soma, and were provided to patients who Bynes knew were drug-addicted. According to evidence introduced at trial, Bynes prescribed the deadly drug cocktail to Medicare patients at a higher rate than any other physician in the United States.
While operating his illegal pill mill, Bynes falsely claimed to work for the Department of Justice and displayed a fake police badge to intimidate patients. Bynes also frequently used his ability to write prescriptions to exploit female patients and coerce them into providing sexual favors. Among other evidence introduced at trial were documents establishing Bynes knew multiple patients suffered an overdose – yet he disregarded numerous warnings and continued to prescribe the drug cocktail on which his patients had overdosed. In addition, Bynes defrauded Medicaid, Medicare and Tricare, resulting in excess of $2 million in fraudulent pharmacy claims.
“Dr. Bynes’ actions are despicable and contributed to the opioid crisis we are experiencing in our state and nation,” said Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr. “He placed his selfishness over the needs of his patients, and with this sentence, I hope that the many people he harmed can find some closure and begin the healing process.”
Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Atlanta Field Division commented, “Complicit doctors like Dr. Bynes, who ran a pain clinic, often prey on patients who are addicted to prescription drugs. This defendant dispensed addictive prescription drugs under the guise of a stethoscope and white coat, when in actuality, he was nothing more than a common drug trafficker. This successful investigation was a direct result of hard work put forth by all law enforcement agencies involved and the subsequent prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. This doctor will now serve a lengthy prison term.”
“Dr. Bynes is going from operating a pill mill to living in a prison cell. Justice was well-served today,” said Derrick L. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge for the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS-OIG). “This substantial and warranted sentence ensures that Frank Bynes will no longer be the menace to society he once was.”
“The opioid addiction crisis in this country also touches the military and their families,” stated Special Agent in Charge Cynthia A. Bruce, DCIS, Southeast Field Office. “Dr. Bynes took advantage of his military patients who were struggling with addiction for his own personal pleasure and financial gain. DCIS, in partnership with this U.S. Attorney’s Office, will aggressively pursue individuals who seek to harm our military members and their dependents.”
“Like law enforcement, medical professionals take an oath. And like the vast majority many of the professionals take their oaths seriously,” said Everett Ragan, Director of the Chatham-Savannah Counter Narcotics Team. “Unfortunately, there are those like Dr. Bynes who go against their oath for personal gain. Doing so simply made Dr. Bynes a drug dealer in a white coat. What’s worse is Dr. Bynes’ actions negatively impacted the opioid epidemic. I am proud to say that our agency played a huge role in bringing down this monster.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and its law enforcement partners are actively investigating the pharmacies who filled illegitimate prescriptions from Dr. Bynes, including previously announced criminal and civil prosecutions of Chip’s Discount Drugs, Fulghum Drug’s Inc., Darien Pharmacy, and others. Pharmacists are required under federal law to ensure that a prescription is written for a legitimate medical purpose and must refuse to fill those that are not legitimate. Any individuals who have information about illegal prescribing by physicians, dispensing by pharmacies, or other diversion, and any individuals who believe they were victims of Bynes, should call the U.S. Attorney’s Office at (912) 652-4422 and ask for the Opioid Coordinator.
The case was investigated by the DEA, HHS-OIG, DCIS, the Georgia Medicaid Control Fraud Unit, and CNT, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys J. Thomas Clarkson and Matthew Josephson, with assistance from Litigation Technologist Dean Athanasopoulos and Jim Mooney, Deputy Director of the Georgia Medicaid Control Fraud Unit and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney.
Federal fraud complaint filed against men accused of scamming hotels, limousine serviceRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, GA: A criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Augusta charges two men with using fraudulent and stolen credit cards to steal from hotels and a limousine company.
Aaron Barnes-Burpo, 28, of Crestview, Fla., and Walker Washington, 51, who is listed as homeless, are charged with one count of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.
“Thanks to alert citizens in Augusta who acted on their suspicions, this crime spree across the country came to an abrupt halt in the Southern District of Georgia,” said U.S. Attorney Christine.
The complaint alleges that Barnes-Burpo and Washington organized a group of men and women who portrayed themselves as affiliated with the Roc Nation production company and the hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan, and used those fictitious representations along with fraudulent and stolen credit cards to rent luxury limousines, including a Rolls-Royce, and defraud hotels of thousands of dollars in goods and services in cities including Atlanta, Macon and Nashville.
The scam unraveled when staff at the Fairfield Inn and Suites in Augusta became suspicious and alerted authorities.
“The FBI would like to thank the staff of the Fairfield Inn in Augusta for their awareness that helped end the run of these alleged fraudsters,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The arrests should serve as a warning that no matter how elaborate fraud schemes are, the FBI is determined to protect American citizens who fall victim to them.”
A criminal complaint contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being investigated by the FBI and the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, and is being prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Rhodes.
Savannah man sentenced to federal prison for attempted sex trafficking of a childRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A Savannah man will spend a decade in prison for attempting to traffic a child for sexual exploitation.
Steven Andrew Ross, 30, of Savannah, was sentenced to 120 months in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood after pleading guilty to Attempted Sex Trafficking of a Minor, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Ross will be required to serve 10 years of supervised release after completion of his prison sentence. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Child predators continue to pollute the online atmosphere, creating a dangerous environment in what otherwise should be safe access to the information superhighway,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “Our office and our dedicated law enforcement partners continue to be relentless in pursuit of those who would target innocent children for exploitation.”
Ross was charged in Operation Broken Heart, a nationwide Department of Justice operation conducted in April and May of 2019 by the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, in which nearly 1,700 suspected online child sex offenders were arrested. Also charged in the Southern District of Georgia was Benjamin Ray, 39, of Honea Path, S.C., who pled guilty and is awaiting sentencing.
Evidence presented at sentencing showed that Ross was communicating online with an undercover agent that he believed to be a 14-year-old girl. While repeatedly confirming the girl’s age, Ross expressed interest in paying the child to have sex, requested photos of the child engaging in sex with others, and sought to produce child pornography with the child.
“Sex trafficking, enabled by the Internet, continues to be a serious threat facing our nation’s youth and Savannah is not immune from that threat,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees HSI operations in Georgia and Alabama. “HSI will continue to collaborate with our law enforcement partners in the Georgia Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force to unmask these child predators who attempt to hide behind the anonymity of the Internet.”
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Savannah Police Department, in conjunction with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tania D. Groover.
Georgia pharmacy, pharmacist accused in civil suit of unlawfully dispensing thousands of opioids and other controlled substancesRead the Press Release
BRUNSWICK, GA: A South Georgia pharmacy and its pharmacist are accused in a newly filed federal civil complaint with dispensing thousands of highly addictive controlled substances in violation of the Controlled Substances Act.
Chip’s Discount Drugs Inc., Chips Discount Drugs LLC, and pharmacist Rogers Wood, of Hazlehurst, Ga., are accused in the suit, filed in U.S. District Court by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia, of failing to recognize “red flags” of improper and illegitimate prescriptions, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.
The suit is part of the ongoing crackdown by the Southern District U.S. Attorney’s Office and its federal law enforcement partners to combat the opioid crisis through criminal prosecutions and civil actions.
“Pharmacists have responsibilities under the law which nearly all follow,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “This lawsuit is part of our office’s continuing effort seeking to hold accountable every level of the distribution chain who fail to act consistent with the basic obligations of the law.”
As alleged in the suit, the defendants “knew or should have known” that many of the prescriptions it filled were not issued for legitimate reasons. Those “red flag” warnings of drug abuse and diversion included numerous patients traveling long distances to get prescriptions filled; simultaneous prescriptions to the same patients for similar drugs; prescriptions for the same drugs in multiple strengths; prescriptions for daily doses higher than medically necessary; prescriptions for drug combinations well-known in the medical and pharmacy community as carrying a high risk of drug abuse; and a disproportionate level of cash sales.
The suit also alleges that the defendants could not account for more than 9,000 oxycodone and hydrocodone pills supplied to the pharmacy as required by the Controlled Substances Act.
Dispensing drugs in violation of the Controlled Substances Act carries a civil penalty of up to $64,820 per violation, and failing to maintain and provide accurate prescription records carries a civil penalty of up to $15,040 per violation. The suit alleges “thousands” of violations by Wood and Chip’s Pharmacy.
Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) said, “DEA Diversion investigators did remarkable work in this case. DEA Diversion, its law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to aggressively pursue healthcare providers who are not in compliance with mandatory regulations.”
The claims asserted against the defendants are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
The DEA is investigating the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradford C. Patrick and Jonathan A. Porter are representing the United States.
South Carolina man sentenced to prison for taking minor across state line for sexRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A South Carolina man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for picking up a Savannah runaway and taking her across state lines for sex.
Darick McPherson, 20, of Ridgeland, S.C., pled guilty to Transportation with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity and was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge William T. Moore to 120 months in prison and to pay restitution of $29,775.50, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. McPherson also will be required to serve 15 years of supervised release after completion of his prison sentence. There is no parole in the federal system.
“This was no ‘Romeo and Juliet’ romantic fantasy,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “This is an adult predator who groomed a 12-year-old from a troubled home and enticed her to sneak away in the dead of night for his own sick gratification. The young victim will now have an opportunity to mature without his malignant influence.”
According to court documents and testimony, police in Ridgeland, S.C., discovered McPherson with the victim on the night of Dec. 19, 2017, after complaints of a domestic disturbance. The investigation determined McPherson had picked up the 12-year-old from her Savannah home after her guardian left for work and drove her to South Carolina.
“It is clear from this sentencing that McPherson’s actions will not be tolerated by our justice system,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Our warning to predators is that the FBI is determined to go to great lengths to protect our most vulnerable citizens from those who seek to manipulate and do them harm.”
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.
The case was investigated by the FBI, with the Allendale, S.C., and Ridgeland, S.C., Police Departments and the Savannah Police Department, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tania D. Groover.
New York man pleads guilty to Brunswick, Ga., bank robberyRead the Press Release
BRUNSWICK, GA: A New York man has admitted to robbing a Brunswick bank in October 2019.
Lionel Valenzuela, 54, pled guilty in U.S. District Court in Brunswick to one count of Bank Robbery, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The charge carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, followed by up to three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
In his plea, Valenzuela admitted robbing the Ameris Bank at 3440 Cypress Road in Brunswick on Oct. 30, 2019. Valenzuela threatened the clerk by saying he had a firearm and demanding money. He ran from the bank with an undisclosed amount of cash, and was quickly captured by Brunswick Police officers after a private citizen identified him. The cash from the robbery was recovered, but no weapon was found.
“Lionel Valenzuela needlessly put working people in fear for their lives for the sole purpose of stealing money,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “We’re grateful to the alert bystander and the Brunswick Police officers who stopped Valenzuela’s brief crime spree, and hope a substantial prison sentence will bring it to a permanent end.”
“The FBI would like to thank the citizen who helped the Brunswick police officers arrest Valenzuela,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “It’s another example of how our partnerships with law enforcement agencies and our reliance on the public for assistance are vital in protecting our citizens.”
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Brunswick Police Department, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Kirkland and Joshua Bearden.
Eight defendants in drug-trafficking operation targeted in 12-count federal indictmentRead the Press Release
DUBLIN, GA: Eight people have been charged in a 12-count federal indictment alleging a brazen drug-trafficking conspiracy in and around Laurens County.
The defendants, named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury and unsealed in U.S. District Court in Dublin, Ga., on Tuesday, Feb. 4, were taken into federal custody at the culmination of Operation “The Hole,” named for the shack the conspirators used for extensive narcotics distribution, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.
“The Laurens County Sheriff’s Office’s association with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Ocmulgee Drug Task Force, and numerous local and state law agencies brought this organization down,” said Laurens County Sheriff Larry Dean. “A criminal organization such as this one takes time, teamwork and perseverance to dismantle, and we are thankful to the citizens of Laurens County for their patience during this investigation. My deputies and I will not stop this fight against drugs as long as I am your sheriff.”
The operation, coordinated by agents of the DEA, along with the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office and the Ocmulgee Drug Task Force, targeted a drug-trafficking ring moving large quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, crack cocaine and marijuana into the Laurens County starting as early as 2013. The investigation identified a shack called “The Hole” as the “trap house,” or central distribution site, complete with a retail-like service counter for drug transactions, along with other Dublin-area locations.
During the execution of multiple federal search warrants, agents seized significant quantities of narcotics, including pounds of methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana, along with 24 firearms, nearly $37,000 in cash, gold and silver with an estimated value of $90,000, devices for pressing bricks of cocaine, pill presses, a stolen vehicle, and two stolen generators with lights. Additional drugs, firearms and cash also were discovered during arrests of the defendants.
“Our office is committed to reducing illegal drugs and violent crime in every part of the Southern District, and that includes Dublin and Laurens County,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “With our law enforcement partners, we will weed out these peddlers of poison who fuel a significant part of every community’s misery.”
Those named in the indictment are:
- Quaveris Leshaun Mims, a/k/a “Strong,” 48, of Dublin, Ga., charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Controlled Substances; Possession with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances; Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; and two counts of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon;
- Rodney Jarrod Denson, a/k/a “RD,” 43, of Dublin, Ga., charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Controlled Substances; Possession with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances; Conspiracy to Possess Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug-Trafficking Crime; two counts of Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug-Trafficking Crime; and two counts of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon;
- Anthony Michael Denson, 48, of Dublin, Ga., charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Controlled Substances; Possession with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances; and, Conspiracy to Possess Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime;
- Nicholas Turner, 24, of East Dublin, Ga., charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Controlled Substances; and Conspiracy to Possess Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime;
- Brandon Payne, a/k/a “Tre,” 25, of Dublin, Ga., charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Controlled Substances; Possession with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances; Conspiracy to Possess Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; and Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime;
- Desergio Kates, a/k/a “Serg,” 25, of Dublin, Ga., charged with charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Controlled Substances; Possession with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances; Conspiracy to Possess Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; and Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime;
- Constance Victoria Moore, 32, of Helena, Ga., charged with charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Controlled Substances; and,
- Zandera Finney, 33, of Warner Robins, Ga., charged with charged with charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Controlled Substances.
“RD” Denson and Anthony Michael Denson are brothers; Brandon Payne and Desergio Kates are stepsons of “RD” Denson.
The charges for Mims, RD Denson, Anthony Michael Denson, Kates and Payne carry penalties of up to life in prison; the charges for Turner, Moore, and Finney carry penalties of up to 20 years in prison on each count. Each of the defendants, if convicted, also would be subject to substantial fines and would serve a period of supervised release after completion of any prison sentence. There is no parole in the federal system.
“These indictments are a direct result of the dedicated efforts between local, state and federal law enforcement and the subsequent prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “The distribution of dangerous drugs continues to ravage many communities, but the Dublin community is safer because these defendants have been removed from the streets.”
Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), the premier U.S. Department of Justice program to dismantle multi-jurisdictional drug trafficking organizations. Agencies involved in the investigation include the DEA; the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives (ATF); the FBI; the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office; Ocmulgee Drug Task Force; the Twiggs County Sheriff’s Office; the Wilkinson County Sheriff’s Office; the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office; the Washington County Sheriff’s Office; the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office; and the Warner Robins Police Department, and is being prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patricia Rhodes and Henry W. Syms Jr.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
'Sovereign citizen' who targeted federal judges and government officials sentenced to 25 years in prisonRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, GA: A Georgia man who began by filing false tax returns claiming millions of dollars, then escalated to filing multi-million dollar liens against government officials and attempting to put them into involuntary bankruptcy, culminated today in one of the longest federal sentences ever handed out for a false retaliatory lien case.
Timothy Jermaine Pate, a/k/a Akenaten Ali, 43, of Augusta, was sentenced today by Judge R. Stan Baker in U.S. District Court in Augusta to 300 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release after completion of his sentence, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.
There is no parole in the federal system.
“Timothy Pate tried to subvert the administration of government,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “He tried to extract millions of taxpayer dollars by bullying hard-working public servants and threatening federal judges. His paper terrorism has now earned him 25 years in federal prison.”
Pate was convicted in October 2019 on 15 counts of filing false retaliatory liens against federal officials and five counts of making a false bankruptcy declaration, which stem from his efforts to put federal officials into bankruptcy against their will.
According to the evidence presented at trial, Pate filed tax returns from 2016 through 2018 falsely claiming he was owed more than $7 million in tax refunds. Pate also attempted to have the IRS pay his past-due child support. After the IRS repeatedly rejected his false returns, Pate – a U.S. citizen and Georgia resident who claimed to be a Moorish national not subject to U.S. law – filed a federal civil case against the IRS commissioner seeking tax refunds.
Pate attempted to have the court order the arrest of the IRS commissioner. When that failed, Pate threatened to file liens against the federal judge assigned to his case and other officials of the U.S. Treasury, unless he was paid millions of dollars from the IRS. Unbowed by his threats, the victim-public servants in this case continued to carry out their duties.
Pate carried out his threats. In May 2018, he filed liens ranging from $15 million to $33 million against a U.S. magistrate judge in Augusta, the former U.S. Treasury secretary, IRS commissioner, and the Treasury inspector general, among others. He then published notices of the liens in The Augusta Chronicle. The next month, Pate targeted additional federal officials with bogus liens; this time, he went after a federal bankruptcy judge in Augusta, the U.S. Bankruptcy clerk of court, and the U.S. magistrate judge for liens ranging from $15 million to $100 million.
When his victims refused to order the payment of his claimed refunds, Pate filed involuntary bankruptcy petitions against five federal officials on May 21, 2018, that would have put them into bankruptcy. Pate was arrested by federal authorities in August 2018 and has remained jailed since.
“At IRS Criminal Investigation, our top priority is protecting the integrity of our nation’s tax system,” said Thomas J. Holloman, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “Today’s sentence should send a clear message that orchestrating a scheme to file bogus returns and liens while seeking to abuse the tax system will result in your prosecutions.”
“As we approach tax filing season, those who consider committing refund fraud and filing false liens should be aware of the extremely negative consequences of doing so, especially against federal officials,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “This sentence is an example of the FBI and our federal partners commitment to vigorously pursue anyone who tries to enrich themselves by circumventing the judicial process.”
The investigation was led by the FBI, IRS, and Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, and the case was prosecuted by the Criminal Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia, with assistance from the Department of Justice’s Tax Division.
More than two dozen defendants charged in major gang-related drug trafficking indictmentRead the Press Release
STATESBORO, GA: A major investigation targeting an expansive, gang-related drug trafficking ring operating in Georgia has resulted in a 61-count indictment naming 26 defendants on federal charges.
Indictments in Operation Ace in the Hole were returned under seal in U.S. District Court in Statesboro, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. After the indictments were unsealed, the charges were announced in a news conference at the Toombs County Courthouse. Additional defendants face state charges in the investigation.
“With leaders that included a regional boss of the Gangster Disciples, this drug trafficking organization was a major source of illicit narcotics, gang violence and illegal guns throughout the Toombs County area and beyond,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “Our brave local, state and federal law enforcement partners pursued this conspiracy tirelessly for more than a year, and our office’s prosecution of these charges will be just as relentless.”
Investigators from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, working with federal and local law enforcement agencies, started the investigation in August 2018 in response to increasing gang violence and drug-related activities in the Vidalia, Ga., area. The investigation identified Deltinaud Toussaint, a/k/a “Black,” a/k/a “Tino,” a/k/a “Tino Black,” 44, of Vidalia, as the primary supplier of the organization’s narcotics – including methamphetamine, cocaine, MDMA or “Ecstasy,” and marijuana – through connections in Atlanta.
An alleged member of the conspiracy for whom the operation is named, Justin Adams, a/k/a “Ace,” 39, of Vidalia, was identified as a regional leader of the Gangster Disciples criminal street gang.
In June 2019, investigators executed search warrants at eight houses in Atlanta and Vidalia used for stashing or distributing narcotics, seizing more than two kilos of cocaine, four kilos of marijuana, half a kilo of methamphetamine, more than two kilos of MDMA, pints of Codeine, 600 grams of Xanax, pill presses, and surveillance equipment. The drugs were hidden in such items as children’s backpacks and baby-formula bottles. Investigators also seized 20 firearms, including a fully automatic machine gun and several assault-style rifles, a trove of gang-related documents, and approximately $49,000 in cash.
A full list of the defendants charged in the case follows. If convicted, each of the defendants faces a possible sentence of up to life in prison.
“The amazing work on ‘Operation Ace in the Hole’ demonstrates the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) model of prosecutor-led, intelligence driven, multi-agency investigative and prosecution strategy that proves effective against command and control elements of regional, national and international gangs,” said Adam W. Cohen, Director of the OCDETF Program for the U.S. Department of Justice.
“The confiscation of drugs, guns and money, and the removal of 26 defendants from the streets, will immediately make the citizens of Toombs County safer,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “None of it would have been possible without the cooperative effort of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Our commitment to dismantling gangs that wreak havoc in our communities and endanger the people who live in them will never end.”
Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division stated, “These notorious gang-related drug dealers distributed poison to the community and caused fear through means of violence and intimidation. Step by step, the government disrupted and dismantled this once-thriving criminal network. This effort would not have been successful without the spirited level of cooperation between DEA, its federal, state and local law enforcement counterparts and the subsequent prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
“This case is the product of a concerted collaborative effort on the part of ATF and its federal, state and local partners to target, investigate, and eliminate the perpetrators of violent crime, to include eradicating criminal gang activity,” said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). “This case is a great example of how you leverage law enforcement resources to target the offenders driving crime in Toombs County area and beyond.”
“We are committed to working with our partners to get dangerous guns and drugs off the streets,” said Vic Reynolds, Director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. “We will not allow gangs to continue to terrorize neighborhoods with hardworking citizens who want to raise their families in a safe environment.”
Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), the premier U.S. Department of Justice program to dismantle multi-jurisdictional drug trafficking organizations. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the FBI, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), the Georgia Department of Community Supervision, the Toombs County Sheriff’s Office, the Lyons Police Department, the Oconee Drug Task Force, and the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office, and is being prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys E. Greg Gilluly Jr. and Joseph McCool.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Those charged in the indictment of Operation Ace in the Hole are:
- Deltinaud Toussaint, a/k/a “Black,” a/k/a “Tino,” a/k/a “Tino Black,” 44, of Vidalia, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute a Controlled Substance; Conspiracy to Use, Carry or Possess Firearms; Distribution of Methamphetamine and Marijuana; two counts of Distribution of Methamphetamine; two counts of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Crack Cocaine, Alprazolam, Codeine and Marijuana; two counts of Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; and 17 counts of Use of a Communications Facility;
- Justin Adams, a/k/a “Ace,” 39, of Vidalia, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute a Controlled Substance; Conspiracy to Use, Carry or Possess Firearms; four counts of Distribution of Cocaine; and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon;
- Andre Jackson, a/k/a “Dre,” 30, of Vidalia, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute a Controlled Substance; Conspiracy to Use, Carry or Possess Firearms; two counts of Distribution of Marijuana; two counts of Distribution of Methamphetamine and Marijuana; and Distribution of Cocaine;
- Monica Mitchell, 38, of East Point, Ga., charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute a Controlled Substance; and Conspiracy to Use, Carry or Possess Firearms;
- Daniel Asberry, 31, of Vidalia, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute a Controlled Substance; Conspiracy to Use, Carry or Possess Firearms; and two counts of Use of a Communications Facility;
- Ozell Johnson, a/k/a “Bip,” 38, of Vidalia, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute a Controlled Substance; Conspiracy to Use, Carry or Possess Firearms; Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Crack Cocaine, Alprazolam, Codeine and Marijuana; and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime;
- Laporshia Canty, 44, of Vidalia, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute a Controlled Substance; Conspiracy to Use, Carry or Possess Firearms; Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Crack Cocaine, Alprazolam, Codeine and Marijuana; and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime;
- Stacy Tobler Sr., a/k/a “Turtle,” 46, of Vidalia, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute a Controlled Substance; Conspiracy to Use, Carry or Possess Firearms; Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine; Distribution of Methamphetamine; Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Crack Cocaine, Alprazolam, Codeine and Marijuana; Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine; and Use of a Communications Facility;
- Audrea Salem, 42, of Vidalia, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute a Controlled Substance; Conspiracy to Use, Carry or Possess Firearms; Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine; and Use of a Communications Facility;
- Darryl Marcus Allen, a/k/a “Twin,” 37, of Vidalia, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute a Controlled Substance; Conspiracy to Use, Carry or Possess Firearms; and Distribution of Cocaine;
- Alonzo Roberts Jr., a/k/a “Toot,” a/k/a “Two,” 31, of Vidalia, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute a Controlled Substance; Conspiracy to Use, Carry or Possess Firearms; two counts of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Crack Cocaine and Marijuana; and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime;
- Taneka Warren, 29, of Vidalia, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute a Controlled Substance; and Conspiracy to Use, Carry or Possess Firearms;
- Jermaine Bouie, a/k/a “Dollar,” 29, of Vidalia, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute a Controlled Substance; Conspiracy to Use, Carry or Possess Firearms; Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Cocaine and Marijuana; Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; and Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine;
- India Mitchell, a/k/a “Shay,” 32, of Vidalia, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute a Controlled Substance; Conspiracy to Use, Carry or Possess Firearms; Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Crack Cocaine, Alprazolam, Codeine and Marijuana; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Crime; and two counts of Use of a Communications Facility;
- Crystal Wheeler, 36, of Allenhurst, Ga., charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute a Controlled Substance; Conspiracy to Use, Carry or Possess Firearms; and Use of a Communications Facility;
- Vincent Page, a/k/a “VP,” 31, of Vidalia, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute a Controlled Substance; Conspiracy to Use, Carry or Possess Firearms; Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; Possession with Intent to Distribute Oxycodone; and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime;
- Terry Williams, a/k/a “Young Buck,” 31, of Mount Vernon, Ga., charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute a Controlled Substance; Conspiracy to Use, Carry or Possess Firearms; Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Crack Cocaine and Hydrocodone;
- Torey Johnny Lee Washington, a/k/a “Fool,” 39, of Vidalia, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute a Controlled Substance; Conspiracy to Use, Carry or Possess Firearms; and Use of a Communications Facility;
- Tyson Ransom, 34, of Vidalia, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute a Controlled Substance; Conspiracy to Use, Carry or Possess Firearms; and Use of a Communications Facility;
- Donnie Edmonds Jr., a/k/a “Hotboy,” 35, of Vidalia, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute a Controlled Substance; Conspiracy to Use, Carry or Possess Firearms; and two counts of Use of a Communications Facility;
- Lee Syntell Kelley, a/k/a “Truth,” 39, of Vidalia, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute a Controlled Substance; Conspiracy to Use, Carry or Possess Firearms; and Use of a Communications Facility;
- Nicole Mitchell, 30, of Vidalia, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute a Controlled Substance; Conspiracy to Use, Carry or Possess Firearms; and two counts of Use of a Communications Facility;
- Lanard Wallace, a/k/a “Nardo,” 30, of Vidalia, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute a Controlled Substance; Conspiracy to Use, Carry or Possess Firearms; Possession with Intent to Distribute Crack Cocaine; Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; and Use of a Communications Facility;
- Frederick Cooper, a/k/a “Coop,” 40, of Vidalia, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute a Controlled Substance; Conspiracy to Use, Carry or Possess Firearms; Possession with Intent to Distribute Crack Cocaine; Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; and Use of a Communications Facility;
- Ryan Antwain Harris, 34, of Lyons, Ga., charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute a Controlled Substance; Conspiracy to Use, Carry or Possess Firearms; and two counts of Distribution of Crack Cocaine; and,
- Otis Peeples, a/k/a “Bull,” 26, of Vidalia, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute a Controlled Substance; Conspiracy to Use, Carry or Possess Firearms; and two counts of Distribution of Marijuana.
Four indicted on federal charges in Bulloch County drug trafficking conspiracyRead the Press Release
STATESBORO, GA: Four people have been indicted on federal charges for running a methamphetamine distribution ring throughout Bulloch County.
The indictment, returned by a grand jury in U.S. District Court, charges the four – Clifton Pittman, 50, of Reidsville, Ga.; Hope Mitchell, 44, of Reidsville; Clarence Johnson, 55, of Statesboro; and Joy Leigh Horton, 36, of Savannah – with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine, and Possession with Intent to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. If convicted, the defendants face possible sentences of up to life in prison.
“Of all our partners in law enforcement, a community’s citizens often are the most helpful,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “Their assistance, as in this case, contributes to safer neighborhoods, and supports the work of law enforcement agencies in removing bad elements.”
After receiving multiple complaints from area residents, the Bulloch County Sheriff’s Office Crime Suppression Team visited a home where they observed suspected evidence of drug activity. After subsequently serving a search warrant at the residence, investigators seized kilos of methamphetamine and paraphernalia for drug distribution and consumption.
“These traffickers can no longer deliver dangerous drugs on the streets,” said Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “The collective law enforcement cooperation and the subsequent prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s Office made this investigation a success.”
Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bulloch County Sheriff’s Office, and prosecuted for the United States by U.S. Attorneys Marcela C. Mateo and Frank M. Pennington II.
The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
Arsonist who targeted Savannah's historic Gryphon Tea Room sentenced to federal prisonRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A Savannah man has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for setting fires in a historic Savannah restaurant.
Chase Anthony Davis, 31, of Savannah, was sentenced to 60 months in prison in U.S. District Court, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Davis also will be required to serve a period of supervised release after completion of his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
A federal jury convicted Davis in October 2019 on an arson charge after a three-day trial. According to evidence presented at trial, on the evening of May 8, 2019, Davis, then an employee of the Gryphon Tea Room, broke into the landmark restaurant located at 337 Bull Street in Savannah’s Historic District. Davis set six separate fires in the dining room area of the restaurant owned by the Savannah College of Art and Design. The fires self-extinguished, and the property damage caused to the restaurant has since been restored.
Gryphon shares space with The Arts Café and The Scottish Rite Temple and is closely connected with numerous historic residential structures and St. John’s Episcopal Church. It is housed in an adapted early 20th century apothecary constructed between 1913 and 1926.
“This bungled arson could have caused tremendous physical and cultural damage to historic structures in Savannah,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “Fortunately the tablecloths were fire-retardant, and the Savannah Fire Department quickly took care of the rest and kept any damage to a minimum. And now the arsonist will have considerable time behind bars to ponder his felonious folly.”
“This is another example of how ATF partners with our state and local agencies to fight violent crime, including the crime of arson,” said Lenwood Reeves, Resident Agent in Charge of the Savannah Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). “Arson not only does millions of dollars’ worth of damage each year but it endangers the lives of innocent bystanders, firefighters and first responders battling to extinguish these fires. This small fire could have very easily escalated into a major catastrophe, including the loss of life and property.”
This case was investigated by the ATF and the Savannah Police Department, and was prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Bearden and Jenna Solari.
Grovetown man charged with illegally possessing weapons, including pipe bombRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, GA: A Grovetown man has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges that include possession of a pipe bomb.
James Richard Grates II, 36, is charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, and Possession of an Unregistered Firearm, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The charges carry a possible penalty of up to 10 years in prison, followed by a period of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
Personnel from the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) were called to Grates’ mobile home in April 2019 after being alerted about possible unsafe conditions in the residence. Investigators searched the property and seized homemade explosives made from pipe and black powder, along with a 12-gauge shotgun.
“This cases involves illegally possessed firearms and explosives in the hands of convicted felon,” said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the ATF. “It demonstrates the cooperation that exists between ATF, Columbia County Sheriff’s Office and Richmond County Sheriff’s Office to keep the residents of these counties safe.”
Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being investigated by the ATF, the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office and the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alejandro V. Pascual IV.
Four indicted in drug conspiracy distributing meth in Richmond CountyRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, GA: Four people have been indicted in Richmond County on federal charges for distributing methamphetamine and illegally possessing firearms.
The eight-count indictment, returned by a U.S. District Court grand jury, alleges that the four defendants were involved in a conspiracy dating back at least to February 2018 to distribute large amounts of methamphetamine throughout the Augusta area, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.
“Cooperative efforts by federal and local law enforcement partners, including the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, provide our office with powerful tools to dismantle illegal drug distribution networks,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “Working together, we will use every weapon at our disposal to eliminate these merchants of misery.”
The investigation, which included controlled purchases and federal search warrants, seized quantities of methamphetamine, 15 firearms and more than $44,000 in cash.
Charged in the indictment are:
- Bridget Lydell Biggam, 35, of Appling, Ga., is charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine; Possession of 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; and Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute. She faces a possible sentence of up to life in prison.
- Christopher Allen Marshall, 33, of Augusta, Ga., is charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine; Possession of 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; and Possession of Firearms by a Convicted Felon. He faces a possible sentence of up to life in prison.
- Bjorn Michael Wiley, 42, of Martinez, Ga.; is charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine; and Possession of 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute. He faces a possible sentence of up to life in prison. And,
- John Tillman Durst, 29, of Waynesboro, Ga., is charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute 5 Grams or More of Methamphetamine; and Possession of Methamphetamine. He faces a possible sentence of up to 40 years in prison.
Each of the defendants, if convicted, also would be subject to substantial fines and would serve a period of supervised release after completion of any prison sentence. There is no parole in the federal system.
Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division said of the indictments, “This criminal network posed a clear and present danger to the safety and security of the Augusta area. Their removal automatically makes this community safer. These indictments illustrate how success can be achieved through the combined efforts between federal, state and local law enforcement and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
“When you arrest four drug traffickers with 15 firearms, this is a victory for the citizens of Richmond County,” said Richmond County Sheriff Richard Roundtree. “This will contribute to reducing the senseless gun violence accompanied by drug distribution and firearms. We continue to value our partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.”
Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the DEA and the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Henry W. Syms Jr.
Richmond Hill man charged in 'intricate scheme' to frame former acquaintance in health care investigationRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A Richmond Hill man who claimed to be a whistleblower has been charged with falsely accusing a former acquaintance of patient privacy violations.
Jeffrey Parker, 43, is charged in a federal information with one count of False Statements, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The charge carries a possible sentence of up to five years in federal prison.
“Falsely accusing others of criminal activity is illegal, and it hinders justice system personnel with the pursuit of unnecessary investigations,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “This fake complaint caused a diversion of resources by federal investigators, as well as an unnecessary distraction for an important health care institution in our community.”
As outlined in court documents, Parker “engaged in an intricate scheme” in which he contacted the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to claim that a former acquaintance had violated privacy provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
As part of the scheme alleged, Parker created email addresses using the names of real individuals and pretended to be these individuals to make it appear as if the acquaintance committed a crime. He sent these communications to the hospital where the acquaintance worked, to the DOJ, and to the FBI. Parker then claimed to have received threatening messages in retaliation for blowing the whistle, and FBI agents took steps to ensure his safety and quickly investigate the alleged crime. After an FBI agent interviewing Parker found inconsistencies in his story, Parker admitted the statements he made and emails he sent were false.
“The allegations against Parker are disturbing because they not only undermine whistleblower laws, they also waste investigative resources and damage the falsely accused,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Hopefully the quick uncovering of this alleged scheme by our investigators will send a message that these types of actions will be exposed and justice will be served.”
A criminal information represents a charge, and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case was investigated by the FBI, and is being prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Thomas Clarkson.
United States obtains $3.1 million in judgments against Darien Pharmacy and its pharmacistRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A pharmacy and pharmacist owe $3.1 million in civil judgments to resolve claims that they violated the Controlled Substances Act.
The settlement, a result of the first-ever Controlled Substances Act lawsuit filed by the United States against a pharmacy in the history of the Southern District of Georgia, is among substantive results in the ongoing efforts of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia to fight the prescription opioid crisis.
Darien Pharmacy, located in Darien, Ga., and its former pharmacist-in-charge, Janice Ann Colter, have agreed to judgments totaling $3.1 million to resolve a civil lawsuit alleging they filled thousands of prescriptions that they knew or should have known were not issued for legitimate medical reasons, including prescriptions for extremely high quantities of opioids, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.
“Our office is serious about combatting the opioid crisis, and will fight for penalties to underline that message when medical professionals and businesses fail to follow the law,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “Pharmacies have a critical role in preventing drug abuse and diversion.”
The suit alleges that many of the excessive prescriptions filled by Colter and Darien Pharmacy were written by Dr. Frank Bynes, Jr., who was recently convicted in U.S. District Court on multiple counts of Unlawful Dispensation of Controlled Substances and Health Care Fraud. During a two-year period, Darien Pharmacy dispensed more units of controlled substances prescribed by Dr. Bynes than by any other doctor, according to the suit, despite a distance of nearly 100 miles between Dr. Bynes’ practice and the pharmacy, and the existence of numerous other red flags indicating the prescriptions were illegitimate. Inventory audits also showed the pharmacy was unable to account for all the controlled substances coming into the pharmacy, according to the suit.
“The sharp increase in the distribution and consumption of opiates for non-medical reasons continues to be a major concern to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA),” said Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “Consequently, DEA Diversion Investigators will continue to pursue pharmacists and other medical practitioners who engage in unlawful and egregious prescribing practices. This hefty civil fine in the Southern District of Georgia shows that DEA, the entire law enforcement community and the U.S. Attorney’s Office are committed to making sure medical practitioners are abiding by proper prescribing guidelines.”
In addition to the Darien Pharmacy settlement, the U.S. Attorney’s Office also recently reached civil settlements with two other pharmacists and pharmacies in the Southern District for alleged violations of the Controlled Substances Act:
- Liberty Square Pharmacy and its former pharmacist-in-charge, Wilton Clinton “Clint” Meeks, III, of Waynesboro, Ga., agreed to pay $150,000 to settle claims related to their inability to account for tens of thousands of pills including Oxycodone and Soma; and,
- Ludowici Drugs and its pharmacist-in-charge, John S. Townsend, of Ludowici, Ga., agreed to pay $55,000 to settle claims that they failed to keep required records to account for several categories of controlled substances, and unlawfully dispensed controlled substances pursuant to invalid oral and written prescriptions on numerous occasions.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia is committed to using all available remedies under the Controlled Substances Act against doctors, pharmacists, and others who break the law. The claims asserted against defendants in a civil suit are allegations only and are not determinations of liability.
These civil cases were investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The United States was represented in these cases by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradford C. Patrick and Jonathan A. Porter.
Members of cartel-connected drug trafficking ring sentenced to federal prisonRead the Press Release
WAYCROSS, GA: Two drug traffickers connected with a Mexican cartel that supplied a south Georgia methamphetamine conspiracy have been sentenced to federal prison.
Enio Camacho-Pineda, a/k/a “Tony,” a/k/a “Tony Montana,” 31, of Atlanta, was sentenced to 268 months in prison, and Donna Bazemore, a/k/a “Dirty D,” 45, of McRae, Ga., was sentenced to 216 months in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Camacho-Pineda and Bazemore had each pled guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Methamphetamine.
Each must serve a period of supervised release after their prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
“These traffickers built a virtual pipeline for poison from illegal Mexican meth labs to drug users in Georgia, but good police work from the Telfair County Sheriff’s Office and many other agencies shut it down,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “Our office is committed to taking the ball from our law enforcement partners and carrying it across the goal line, and in this case that effort secured guilty pleas from every one of these meth merchants.”
Camacho-Pineda and Bazemore were the final two defendants of 11 sentenced from an October 2018 indictment alleging they were involved in a drug trafficking organization that smuggled in kilograms of methamphetamine from the La Familia cartel in Mexico and delivered it by courier to south Georgia for distribution in Telfair County and beyond. According to testimony in court, Camacho-Pineda was a member of the cartel, while Bazemore admitted trafficking meth on behalf of the organization.
All 11 defendants in the operation have now pled guilty and been sentenced.
Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division said of the sentencings, “Mexican drug cartels (in this case La Familia) are the source of so many dangerous drugs destined for the U.S. and are responsible for much of the violence in Mexico today. These sentencings illustrates how DEA, its law enforcement counterparts and the U.S. Attorney’s Office will not allow Mexico-based drug traffickers to wreak havoc on our society.”
“This case is the product of a concerted collaborative effort on the part of ATF and its law enforcement partners to target, investigate, and eliminate violent drug trafficking organizations,” said Beau Kolodka, Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). “These sentences will ensure the incarceration of dangerous criminals and contribute to the restoration of order and peace.”
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), the premier U.S. Department of Justice program to dismantle multi-jurisdictional drug trafficking organizations, and was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), the U.S. Marshals Service, Telfair County Sheriff’s Office, Jeff Davis County Sheriff’s Office, the Douglas-Coffee Drug Unit, and other local law enforcement agencies. The case also falls under the umbrella of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Harper and E. Greg Gilluly, Jr.
Former correctional officer admits accepting bribes from federal prison inmateRead the Press Release
WAYCROSS, GA: A former correctional officer at a privately-operated federal prison could spend up to 15 years behind bars after admitting accepting bribes from an inmate.
Micheal Eaddy, 23, of Blackshear, Ga., a former correctional officer at D. Ray James Correctional Facility, a privately prison operated under federal contract in Folkston, Ga., entered the plea in U.S. District Court to one count of bribery, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The charge carries a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, a substantial fine, and up to three years of supervised release upon completion of the prison sentence. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Correctional officers have a demanding job,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “It makes the job more difficult, and dangerous, when dirty guards join the inmates in violating the law. When that happens, our office will work to put them on the same side of the bars.”
Eaddy admitted accepting $246.25 from an inmate in return for smuggling cigarettes into the prison. Investigators discovered the activity after seizing a contraband phone from the inmate and examining its contents, which included electronic conversations between Eaddy and the inmate.
“When correctional officers smuggle contraband into prisons in exchange for bribes, they undermine the safety and security of the institution they vowed to protect,” said James F. Boyersmith, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General Miami Field Office.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Inspector General, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marcela C. Mateo.
Government obtains $10.1 million in judgments to resolve Medicaid fraud claims in False Claims Act complaintRead the Press Release
BRUNSWICK, GA: A Brunswick Medicaid provider and its owner have been ordered to pay more than $10 million to settle a civil fraud complaint filed by the federal government and the state of Georgia.
The judgments, approved by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia, awards the government $9.7 million against Brunswick-based Miracle Home Care, Inc. and $400,000 against its owner, Shashicka Tyre-Hill of Brunswick, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.
The judgments are from a civil complaint filed in July 2018 alleging that Miracle Home Care violated the False Claims Act and the Georgia False Medicaid Claims Act with claims for reimbursement for thousands of false or fraudulent non-emergency transportation and adult day health services. The government’s complaint alleged that Miracle also falsified thousands of records to cover up their false Medicaid claims. Miracle and Tyre-Hill consented to judgments against them and to the amounts of the judgments.
“This result sends a message to would-be unscrupulous providers of healthcare,” said United States Attorney Bobby L. Christine. “Anyone who defrauds federally funded health care programs will be met with meaningful consequence. Our office is committed to continuing to partner with the Georgia Medicaid Fraud Control Unit to protect the integrity of the Georgia Medicaid Program.”
“We are proud to have worked with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia on this case to hold those who steal taxpayer dollars accountable,” said Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr. “This result is the culmination of years of collaboration between our office, the United States Attorney’s Office and HHS-OIG, and the results should send a strong signal that we will aggressively pursue those at fault for unnecessarily driving up the costs of our healthcare programs.”
“The act of falsifying records in order to steal millions of dollars from Medicaid, as alleged in this matter, will not be tolerated,” said Derrick L. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. “The OIG will continue to work with our partners at the United States Attorney’s Office and the Georgia Medicaid Fraud Control Unit to safeguard vital healthcare funds.”
United States Attorney Christine and Attorney General Carr lauded the diligent work of the investigatory team, led by Special Agent David J. Graupner of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and Investigator Sadarius A. Miley of the Georgia Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan A. Porter and Patrick J. Schwedler. The state of Georgia was represented by Assistant Attorney General James Mooney.
Holiday travelers reminded not to attempt to illegally carry weapons aboard flightsRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, GA: Air travelers planning to fly from Augusta, Savannah or Brunswick could receive an unwelcome reminder if they attempt to illegally carry a firearm on board.
As announced Thursday, Dec. 12, at Augusta Regional Airport, a new citation system from the FBI eliminates the free pass some travelers received when attempting to bring a firearm into the secured area of an airport, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The program applies to each commercial airport in the Southern District, including the Augusta Regional Airport, Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport, and the Brunswick Golden Isles Airport.
Previously, airport patrons with concealed carry permits who brought a firearm into an airport’s secured area have been allowed to exit the airport and return without the weapon. Now, after police serving the airport file a report of the incident, those patrons also will receive a citation from the FBI charging them with a federal misdemeanor and compelling them to appear in court, Christine said. The citation carries a penalty of $300 plus court fees.
The policy doesn’t change for patrons without permits who bring a firearm into the airport’s secured area; those individuals will be arrested and charged by local police with carrying a concealed weapon. In all of those cases, the Transportation Security Administration also assesses substantial civil penalties.
“Legal possession of firearms in accordance with the law will be defended by the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” Christine said. “We hope the announcement of this tougher policy will remind honest travelers during the busy holiday season, and beyond, that federal law prohibits travelers from bringing a firearm into any airport’s secured area.”
“The FBI investigates crimes that occur aboard aircraft and that is why we take this matter very seriously,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The task is simple: Before traveling, check your bags before leaving home so you can arrive safely and on time for your holiday plans.”
Marshal Ramone Lamkin, whose office is responsible for policing the Augusta airport, stated, “We want everyone to have a safe and enjoyable holiday season. I encourage all gun owners who intend to travel through our airport to vigorously inspect their bags prior to arrival, as many gun owners forget they are carrying firearms in their personal bags. This can lead to serious, but avoidable, legal consequences.”
Glynn County Police Chief John Powell, whose agency provides law enforcement at the Brunswick/Golden Isles Airport, said, “We appreciate the U.S. Attorney’s proactive approach to working with federal, state and local agencies to protect the rights of legal gun owners while ensuring the safety of air travelers.”
Former Richmond Hill police officer sentenced to federal prison for enticement of a minorRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A former Richmond Hill police officer has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for luring teen girls to meet him for sex.
Jeffrey Allen Allmond Jr., 25, of Richmond Hill, who was convicted in June by a federal jury on one count of coercion and enticement of a minor, was sentenced to 10 years in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Allmond also must serve 10 years on supervised release after completion of his prison term, and there is no parole in the federal system.
Evidence presented at trial revealed that Allmond, then a police officer, met two girls, ages 15 and 16, via the Tinder dating app. Allmond then communicated with the girls through Snapchat and arranged to pick them up in the middle of the night outside the gate of Fort Stewart, where the two lived. Allmond then drove the teens back to his apartment and performed sexual acts on both of them. Later that night, Allmond returned the girls near the Fort Stewart gate. Allmond continued communicating with the girls through Snapchat and met up with them twice more at his apartment where he performed sexual acts on them.
The Richmond Hill Police Department asked the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) to investigate the case and terminated Allmond after initial charges were filed. The U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command (CID) provided assistance during the investigation.
“This predator disgraced his badge while victimizing the children of our military personnel,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “His vile behavior earned hard time in the federal prison system, and should send a warning to others who would exploit our innocent citizens.”
“Nobody is above the law, and we salute the GBI, the Richmond Hill Police Department and Assistant U.S. Attorney Groover for doing the right thing by holding this individual accountable for his unconscionable acts,” said Christopher Grey, spokesman for the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command. “Our CID special agents, along with the Military Police, go to great lengths to protect and serve the Army community on our installations worldwide, and we sincerely appreciate the backup from our law enforcement partners outside of our gates.”
“This former officer took an oath to serve and protect the public. When someone with whom we have placed our trust violates that trust in this manner, children and the community are damaged,” said Vic Reynolds, Director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigations (GBI). “The GBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure all people who seek to harm our children are held accountable.”
“The men and women of the Richmond Hill Police Department are proud to serve their community with distinction every day, and we are satisfied that the outcome of this case demonstrates our agency’s steadfast intent to hold accountable those who violate the law – no matter who they are,” said Richmond Hill Police Chief Mitch Shores.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tania Groover prosecuted the case for the United States.
Lead defendant pleads guilty in drug conspiracy that produced, distributed powerful synthetic opioidRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, GA: A Georgia man who operated an industrial-scale illegal pill-manufacturing operation has admitted to the main charge in a drug trafficking conspiracy, representing the final guilty plea among the defendants.
Walker Christian Forrester, 25, of Loganville, Ga., entered a guilty plea in U.S. District Court in Augusta to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Controlled Substances (Carfentanil, Alprazolam and marijuana), said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.
The charge carries a penalty of up to life in prison, and there is no parole in the federal system.
“This drug trafficking conspiracy distributed massive amounts of dangerous illegal drugs, including deadly synthetic opioids, throughout the streets of Georgia and through the Dark Web,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “Our federal, state and local law enforcement agencies did outstanding work in investigating and shutting down these merchants of misery and bringing them to justice, where substantial federal prison terms await.”
Other defendants who have pled guilty in the conspiracy are:
- Kolbie Hadden Watters, 23, of Augusta, Ga., who pled guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Controlled Substances, and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime;
- Jonathan Britt Lester, 23, of Loganville, Ga.; who pled guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Controlled Substances (Carfentanil, Alprazolam and marijuana);
- Armand Sananda Saedi, 28, of Atlanta, Ga., who pled guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Controlled Substances (Alprazolam); and,
- Morgan McKenzie Slaton, 23, of Hoschton, Ga., who pled guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute and Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance (Alprazolam).
According to court documents and testimony, the co-defendants participated in a drug conspiracy dating back to 2016 that imported large amounts of drugs purchased with cryptocurrency on the Dark Web, used industrial-grade machinery to manufacture pills, and sold the drugs on the Dark Web and throughout Georgia. At its peak, the operation produced as many as 200,000 pills per month, yielding profits of up to $18,000 per month.
Forrester first came to the attention of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration around Sept. 2017 after he purchased an industrial-grade pill press. Two months later, Forrester, Watters and a juvenile were arrested on state charges in Harlem, Ga., in November 2017 after a traffic stop in which Harlem police officers found more than 5,200 counterfeit Xanax pills, marijuana and a sawed-off shotgun in the vehicle.
In addition to charges in the drug conspiracy, Watters and Lester also face state charges in Walton County of felony murder and aggravated assault in the death of Chase David Loffler, 25, whose body was found buried in the backyard of Lester’s Loganville home in April 2018. The two are accused of beating and suffocating Loffler, a suspected co-conspirator, and burying his body in a shallow grave.
All six defendants face sentencing at a later date.
“Addressing the country’s opioid epidemic continues to be one of DEA’s top priorities,” said Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. This defendant ran an industrial illegal pill-manufacturing operation that delivered deadly doses of poison (namely synthetic opioids) to the community. DEA, its law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to deploy every available resource to stop such criminals like this defendant from distributing these dangerous and potentially deadly substances.”
“This case demonstrates the commitment of law enforcement agencies at every level to end an epidemic in our society that is killing our citizens,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The fact that this defendant faces a potential life sentence is an example how serious this crime is and a warning to anyone else who might contemplate doing the same.”
“Dark Web purchases provide a false sense of anonymity to criminals who believe their actions will be invisible to law enforcement. These illegally imported pill presses, producing thousands of counterfeit pills an hour, can wreak havoc on a community,” said acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operations in Georgia and Alabama. “These guilty pleas are a testament to the resolve of the entire law enforcement community to combat the opioid crisis and get these dangerous pills off the streets.”
“The illegal manufacture and distribution of opioids can result in overdoses and deaths, fueling the national opioid crisis,” said Special Agent in Charge Justin D. Green, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Office of Criminal Investigations Miami Field Office. “The FDA remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to disrupt and dismantle illegal prescription drug manufacturing and distribution networks, including those that import illicit raw materials from overseas to make counterfeit drugs, and misuse the internet to distribute those drugs with reckless disregard of the risk to public health and safety.”
“Criminals need to clearly understand that law enforcement agencies across the globe work together daily to root out crime,” said Christopher Grey, spokesperson for the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command (CID). “We share information and continually support each other's investigations. There is no better example of that interagency cooperation than this case and how one piece of information led to more and more evidence to unravel this dangerous drug trafficking conspiracy.”
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), the premier U.S. Department of Justice program to dismantle multi-jurisdictional drug trafficking organizations. Agencies involved in the investigation include the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the U.S. Army Criminal Investigative Command (CID), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Harlem Department of Public Safety. The case is being prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Rhodes.
Final defendant sentenced to federal prison for production of child pornographyRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, GA: The second member of a couple who admitted producing and sharing child pornography has been sentenced to a substantial prison sentence.
Carrie Marie Minton, 25, of Cordova, S.C., was sentenced to 30 years in prison for Production of Child Pornography in U.S. District Court by Chief Judge J. Randal Hall, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Her co-defendant, Charles Brandon Powell, 33, of Hephzibah, previously was sentenced to 30 years in prison on the same charge. Both will be subject to supervised release after completion of their prison terms, and there is no parole in the federal system.
“The resolution of this horrifying case is a credit to the outstanding investigative and prosecutorial work of agencies dedicated to protecting the most vulnerable among us,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “Our office will be unrelenting in hunting down and holding accountable those who would exploit children for their own sick gratification.”
As described in court documents and testimony, Minton and Powell held online discussions to plan a sexual encounter with an 8-year-old girl whom Minton planned to bring to Powell’s Hephzibah home from Neeses, S.C. After Minton sent an explicit photo of another juvenile, a 5-month-old girl, to Powell in June 2018, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children alerted authorities, who intervened as the plot was in motion. Powell and Minton were taken into custody without either of the children subjected to further harm.
“This case is an outstanding example of how partnerships between the FBI and our state and local law enforcement agencies are essential in protecting our citizens and in particular, children, our most vulnerable citizens,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Hopefully, the severity of this sentence sends a strong message to anyone who would even think about hurting a child in this way.”
The case was investigated by the FBI, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) and the South Carolina Office of the Attorney General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Lyons prosecuted the case for the United States.
U.S. Army Major charged with distribution of child pornographyRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, GA: A U.S. Army Major assigned to the U.S. Army Cyber Command at Fort Gordon, Ga., has been charged with distribution of child pornography.
Jason Michael Musgrove, 39, of Grovetown, was charged in U.S. District Court Monday morning in a federal criminal complaint, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.
Musgrove, who is an Integrated Threat Operations Officer with Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmentalized Information clearance, is assigned to the Army Cyber Joint Headquarters at Fort Gordon.
According to court testimony and documents, the case in which Musgrove is charged occurred on or about Dec. 5. Following a hearing before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Brian Epps, Musgrove was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
A criminal complaint contains only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the FBI and the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command (CID), and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Lyons.
Movie special effects coordinator convicted of illegally possessing explosive materialsRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A California man is facing a substantial prison sentence after pleading guilty to illegally possessing explosive materials.
Robert Christopher Bailey, 50, of Los Angeles, pled guilty in U.S. District Court to Possession of Explosive Materials as a Prohibited Person, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.
The charge carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison, followed by a period of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to evidence presented at the plea hearing, on or about July 9, 2018, Bailey was working on the movie set The Poison Rose starring John Travolta and Morgan Freeman as a special effects and pyrotechnics coordinator. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) conducted an investigation and determined Bailey was a person prohibited from possessing explosive materials.
“The state of Georgia, particularly Savannah, has a tremendous history and relationship with the motion picture industry,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “Accordingly, we take very seriously our obligations to uphold the law and to preserve the safety of our citizens and those working in our state.”
This case was investigated by Special Agent Lee Hoover of the ATF, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Bearden and Frank Pennington.
Agencies throughout the Southern District awarded grants from U.S. Department of JusticeRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A series of grants awarded by the U.S. Department of Justice will fund a broad variety of crime-fighting initiatives in communities across the Southern District of Georgia.
Part of more than $376 million in nationwide grants from the Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs (OJP), the grants range from $11,013 for the city of Hinesville, Ga., to a $399,998 grant to Chatham County, Ga., Altogether, eight grants to six agencies or government entities in the Southern District total more than $634,176, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.
“Crime and violence hold families, friends and neighborhoods hostage, and they rip communities apart,” said OJP Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan. “These programs help restore the health and safety of crime-ravaged communities by supporting prevention activities, aiding in the apprehension and prosecution of perpetrators, facilitating appropriate sentencing and adjudication, and providing communities and their residents the means for recovery and healing.”
“These grants represent a significant boost to our law enforcement partners throughout the Southern District,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “Whether large or small, this additional funding will provide a wide range of assistance for continuing efforts to improve safety and security in our communities.”
Those receiving awards include:
- Chatham County, receiving a $399,998 grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance to improve responses and outcomes for individuals with mental illnesses or substance abuse who come in contact with the justice system;
- The city of Savannah, receiving a $111,462 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance to support a broad range of activities to prevent and control crime based on local needs and conditions;
- Augusta-Richmond County, receiving a $31,826 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance to support a broad range of activities to prevent and control crime based on local needs and conditions; and, a $19,400 grant from the Bureau of Justice Statistics to assist in transitioning crime statistic reporting to the FBI’s National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS);
- The city of Hinesville, receiving an $18,000 grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance to support the implementation of body-worn cameras for police officers, and an $11,013 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance to support a broad range of activities to prevent and control crime based on local needs and conditions;
- The city of Hazlehurst, receiving a $26,000 grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance to support the implementation of body-worn cameras for police officers; and,
- Glynn County, receiving a $16,477 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance to support a broad range of activities to prevent and control crime based on local needs and conditions.
The Office of Justice Programs, directed by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan, provides federal leadership, grants, training and technical assistance, and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, assist victims and enhance the rule of law by strengthening the criminal and juvenile justice systems. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
Indictment charges Russians, Italians, others with attempting to evade security sanctionsRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A newly unsealed superseding indictment has charged Russian and Italian nationals, a U.S. Citizen and various companies in a conspiracy to evade international trade sanctions.
The United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia unsealed the superseding indictment on Monday, charging two Russian nationals, two Italian nationals, a U.S. citizen, and various companies with violating and conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 (ECRA), conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.
The indictment, which was returned in October 2019 by a federal grand jury in Savannah, Ga., charges Oleg Vladislavovich Nikitin; Nikitin’s Russian-based company KS Engineering (KSE); KSE employee Anton Cheremukhin; Gabriele Villone; Villone’s Italian-based company GVA International Oil and Gas Services (GVA); and GVA employee Bruno Caparini, with violating and conspiring to violate IEEPA/ECRA. Additionally, the aforementioned defendants, Dali Bagrou, and Bagrou’s U.S.-based company World Mining and Oil Supply (WMO) are charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Nikitin, Villone, and Bagrou were all arrested in Savannah, Ga., while attempting to complete the illegal transaction and are awaiting trial.
“This prosecution demonstrates the high priority the Department of Justice places on the enforcement of U.S. restrictions on exports to Russia’s oil and gas industry,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers. “The U.S. government imposed these restrictions following the Russian annexation of Crimea and its use of force in Ukraine. Russia continues to undermine democratic processes and institutions in that region and adversely affects our national security.”
“The defendants tried to defraud the United States by evading sanctions put in place to keep U.S. goods out of the hands of some of the world’s most dangerous actors,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “We will continue to prosecute to the fullest extent of the law those who threaten our national security.”
“Detecting, preventing, and prosecuting those who conspire to illegally export U.S. origin commodities to Sanctioned and Entity Listed companies such as those involved in this case in Russia, remains a top priority for the Bureau of Industry and Security,” said Douglas R. Hassebrock, Acting Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement. “We are committed to bringing lawbreakers who have willfully chosen to threaten our Nation’s security to justice. And, as always, we are very grateful to work jointly with our enforcement partners.”
“The defendants in this case went to great lengths to circumvent export control laws enacted to protect our nation’s security,” said Cynthia A. Bruce, Special Agent in Charge of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Southeast Field Office. “The DCIS will aggressively support our law enforcement partners working to ensure protected items don’t fall into the wrong hands.”
“This brazen scheme to undermine United States sanctions was a direct threat to national security,” said Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta, Chris Hacker. “But because of the tireless efforts of federal law enforcement partners, the deception ends and the first steps in bringing these defendants to justice begins.”
“U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s collaboration with our fellow federal law enforcement agencies is critical to the successful enforcement of US import and export laws,” said Donald F. Yando, Director, Field Operations, Atlanta Field Office, U.S. Customs and Border Protection. “These partnerships provide for the successful identification and destruction of these types of criminal enterprises.”
According to the indictment, an unnamed Russian government-controlled business contracted with Nikitin and KSE to purchase a Vectra 40G power turbine from a U.S.-based manufacturer for approximately $17.3 million. The Vectra 40G was designed and manufactured for integration with gas generators to enable direct drive of high-power gas compressors. Evidence in the case established the intent of the Russian company to use the Vectra on a Russian Arctic deepwater (greater than 500 feet) drilling platform. For reasons of national security, the U.S. Department of Commerce expressly prohibited any unlicensed shipment or transfer of the Vectra to the Russian company for that purpose.
In an attempt to evade U.S. export laws, the indictment alleges that Nikitin, Cheremukhin and KSE hired Villone, Caparini and GVA to obtain the Vectra on their behalf. Villone, Caprini and GVA then employed the services of Bagrou and WMO to procure the Vectra from a U.S.-based manufacturer and to have the Vectra shipped overseas. The parties conspired to conceal the true end user of the Vectra from both the U.S. manufacturer and the U.S. government by submitting false documentation that stated the Vectra would be used by a U.S. company in and around Atlanta.
Nikitin, Cheremukhin, Villone and Caparini face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine on the charge of violating IEEPA/ECRA and a maximum of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for conspiracy to violate IEEPA/ECRA and to defraud the United States. Bagrou and the aforementioned defendants also face a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine on the charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments.
Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security, Office of Export Enforcement, as well as the Defense Criminal Investigative Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case with assistance from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer G. Solari and Steven H. Lee are prosecuting the case with Trial Attorney William A. Mackie of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
Department of Justice Announces Indictment Charging Russians, Italians and Others with Attempting to Evade Security SanctionsRead the Press Release
A newly unsealed superseding indictment has charged Russian and Italian nationals, a U.S. citizen and various companies in a conspiracy to evade international trade sanctions.
The United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia unsealed the superseding indictment on Dec. 2, 2019, charging two Russian nationals, two Italian nationals, a U.S. citizen, and various companies with violating and conspiring the violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 (ECRA), conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
The indictment, which was returned in October 2019 by a federal grand jury in Savannah, Georgia, charges Oleg Vladislavovich Nikitin; Nikitin’s Russian-based company KS Engineering (KSE); KSE employee Anton Cheremukhin; Gabriele Villone; Villone’s Italian-based company GVA International Oil and Gas Services (GVA); and GVA employee Bruno Caparini, with violating and conspiring to violate IEEPA/ECRA. Additionally, the aforementioned defendants, Dali Bagrou, and Bagrou’s U.S.-based company World Mining and Oil Supply (WMO) are charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Nikitin, Villone, and Bagrou were all arrested in Savannah, Georgia, while attempting to complete the illegal transaction and are awaiting trial.
“This prosecution demonstrates the high priority the Department of Justice places on the enforcement of U.S. restrictions on exports to Russia’s oil and gas industry,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers. “The U.S. government imposed these restrictions following the Russian annexation of Crimea and its use of force in Ukraine. Russia continues to undermine democratic processes and institutions in that region and adversely affects our national security.”
“The defendants tried to defraud the United States by evading sanctions put in place to keep U.S. goods out of the hands of some of the world’s most dangerous actors,” said U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine for the Southern District of Georgia. “We will continue to prosecute to the fullest extent of the law those who threaten our national security.”
“Detecting, preventing, and prosecuting those who conspire to illegally export U.S. origin commodities to Sanctioned and Entity Listed companies, such as those involved in this case in Russia, remains a top priority for the Bureau of Industry and Security,” said Douglas R. Hassebrock, Acting Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement. “We are committed to bringing lawbreakers, who have willfully chosen to threaten our nation’s security, to justice. And, as always, we are very grateful to work jointly with our enforcement partners.”
“The defendants in this case went to great lengths to circumvent export control laws enacted to protect our nation’s security,” said Cynthia A. Bruce, Special Agent in Charge of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Southeast Field Office. “The DCIS will aggressively support our law enforcement partners working to ensure protected items don’t fall into the wrong hands.”
“This brazen scheme to undermine United States sanctions was a direct threat to national security,” said Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta, Chris Hacker. “But because of the tireless efforts of federal law enforcement partners, the deception ends and the first steps in bringing these defendants to justice begins.”
“U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s collaboration with our fellow federal law enforcement agencies is critical to the successful enforcement of U.S. import and export laws,” said Donald F. Yando, Director, Field Operations, Atlanta Field Office, U.S. Customs and Border Protection. “These partnerships provide for the successful identification and destruction of these types of criminal enterprises.”
According to the indictment, an unnamed Russian government-controlled business contracted with Nikitin and KSE to purchase a Vectra 40G power turbine from a U.S.-based manufacturer for approximately $17.3 million. The Vectra 40G was designed and manufactured for integration with gas generators to enable direct drive of high-power gas compressors. Evidence in the case established the intent of the Russian company to use the Vectra on a Russian Arctic deepwater (greater than 500 feet) drilling platform. For reasons of national security, the U.S. Department of Commerce expressly prohibited any unlicensed shipment or transfer of the Vectra to the Russian company for that purpose.
In an attempt to evade U.S. export laws, the indictment alleges that Nikitin, Cheremukhin and KSE hired Villone, Caparini and GVA to obtain the Vectra on their behalf. Villone, Caprini and GVA then employed the services of Bagrou and WMO to procure the Vectra from a U.S.-based manufacturer and to have the Vectra shipped overseas. The parties conspired to conceal the true end user of the Vectra from both the U.S. manufacturer and the U.S. government by submitting false documentation that stated the Vectra would be used by a U.S. company in and around Atlanta.
Nikitin, Cheremukhin, Villone and Caparini face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine on the charge of violating IEEPA/ECRA and a maximum of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for conspiracy to violate IEEPA/ECRA and to defraud the United States. Bagrou and the aforementioned defendants also face a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine on the charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments.
Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security, Office of Export Enforcement, as well as the Defense Criminal Investigative Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case with assistance from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer G. Solari and Steven H. Lee are prosecuting the case with Trial Attorney William A. Mackie of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
Conspirators sentenced in scheme that stole nearly quarter of a million dollars from Augusta attorneyRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, Ga: Two people who stole nearly a quarter-million dollars from an Augusta attorney have been sentenced to federal prison.
Gloria Ifem Okolie, 39, of Dallas, Texas, was sentenced to 24 months in prison by U.S. District Court Chief Judge J. Randal Hall, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Her co-defendant, Paul Wilson Aisosa, 52, of Dallas, was sentenced to 30 months in prison. Each will also be required to serve three years on supervised release after completion of their prison terms. There is no parole in the federal system.
In addition, Okolie and Aisosa must pay $265,218.83 restitution. Both were ordered to surrender to the U.S. Marshals Service on Jan. 6.
Okolie, who was found guilty by a federal jury in March, and Aisosa, who pled guilty to the charges, participated in a scheme to steal $246,218.83 from an Augusta real estate attorney who was deceived into rerouting the proceeds from the sale of a West Lake home.
The money was sent to an account Okolie opened at a Dallas bank, where she, Aisosa and a co-conspirator who is currently in Nigeria withdrew large portions of the money that they sent to other conspirators who also are believed to be in Nigeria.
“These thieves schemed with other crooks to steal money from an honest citizen whose trust they cynically violated,” said U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine. “Our office will not hesitate to slam shut the prison doors on criminals who exploit law-abiding people to line their own pockets.”
“One of the FBI’s priorities is to bring to justice anyone who would choose to defraud our honest working citizens,” said Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta, Chris Hacker. “Okolie and Aisosa must now pay the price for thinking they could get away with this elaborate scheme, thanks to the concerted effort of the FBI, Internal Revenue Service, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
“Today’s sentencing of two co-conspirators highlights how seriously IRS Criminal Investigation and our law enforcement partners take the issue of defrauding honest working citizens,” said Thomas J. Holloman, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation Atlanta Field Office. “We will continue to pursue criminals who prey on innocent victims and we will continue to enforce our nation’s laws. Today’s sentencings should send a clear message to would-be criminals: You will be caught and you will be punished.”
This case was investigated by the FBI and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patricia Rhodes and Hank Syms.
Final defendant sentenced to prison in Operation Vanilla Gorilla, one year after indictmentsRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: The investigation and prosecution dubbed Operation Vanilla Gorilla reached its ultimate milestone this week with the federal prison sentence of the final defendant, representing the wrap-up one year after indictments.
Shawn Hadden, a/k/a “Shorty,” 43, of Bloomingdale, Ga., was sentenced Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2019 in U.S. District Court by Judge R. Stan Baker to 148 months in prison for Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Methamphetamine, and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Hadden pled guilty to the charges in March.
Hadden’s sentence follows a 280-month sentence for a key defendant, Trevor Aines, a/k/a “Sticks,” 30, of Garden City, Ga. His sentence, the longest of any of the defendants, followed a guilty plea to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Methamphetamine, and to Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug-Trafficking Crime.
After completion of their prison terms, Hadden and Aines will serve a period of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
“It’s significant that the final sentence in Vanilla Gorilla was delivered one year after our office announced the indictments in this operation,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “While the law enforcement agencies and prosecutors mark the speedy and satisfying resolution of these cases, the citizens of the Southern District can celebrate that their neighborhoods are safer because 43 dangerous felons have been relocated to federal prison.”
Operation Vanilla Gorilla was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), the premier U.S. Department of Justice program to dismantle multi-jurisdictional drug trafficking organizations. It targeted a major drug trafficking conspiracy linked to the Ghost Face Gangsters, a violent, white supremacist street gang that started and spread from Georgia’s prison system. The 43 men and women were named in November 2018 in a 93-paged, 83-count federal indictment for a multitude of federal offenses, including trafficking methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin, illegal firearms possession and counterfeiting.
The drug-trafficking conspiracy began as early as 2015 until the date of the indictments, having distributed illegal drugs through a large part of the Southern District including Bryan, Chatham, Effingham, Emanuel, Evans and Tattnall counties. In addition to illegal drug seizures as part of the investigation, investigators also seized 36 firearms, including stolen weapons, a rifle with a silencer and a sawed-off shotgun.
All of the defendants pled guilty to the charges. Most of these defendants were on probation or parole when they committed the offenses, so their federal sentences will run consecutive to the sentences for violating state probation or parole.
“This criminal organization poisoned Georgia communities with their activities” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Arthur Peralta. “This sentence brings a fitting close to this investigation and should serve as an example to anyone contemplating this kind of criminal activity. ATF is proud to be a part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and we will continue to work together every day to rid our streets of illicit narcotics and take guns out of the hands of criminals.”
Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Atlanta Field Division commented, “It’s uplifting to see the final chapter of this investigation come to a victorious end, not only for the entire law enforcement community, but also for the citizens of the Southern District who were directly impacted by this white supremacist gang. This gang wreaked havoc by distributing methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin, while leaving a destructive path of violence along the way. Today, we are proud to have shut down this once-thriving criminal network. I want to thank our federal, state and local law enforcement counterparts and the U.S. Attorney’s Office who aided in making this investigation a success.”
“At the end of the day, citizens want to feel safe in their communities,” said Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) Director Vic Reynolds. “With the conclusion of this case, law enforcement demonstrates that this is important to us too. Getting violent offenders, drugs, and guns off the streets is a continuous effort between police and prosecutors. Gang-related activity will not be tolerated in south Georgia or any other part of the state.”
“The Ghost Face Gangsters regularly attacked our community by distributing drugs and performing various violent acts,” said Everett Ragan, Director of the Chatham-Savannah Counter Narcotics Team (CNT). “These attacks on our communities is an attack on all of us. I am proud that the Chatham-Savannah Counter Narcotics Team helped played an instrumental role in the collaborated law enforcement response to stop these dangerous individuals.”
“The conclusion of this phase of the investigation verifies that cooperation between the multiple agencies involved has been a huge success in making all of our communities safer,” said Mitch Shores, chief of the Richmond Hill Police Department.
Operation Vanilla Gorilla was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the DEA, the U.S. Secret Service, GBI, CNT, the Georgia Department of Corrections Intelligence Division, the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office, the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office, the Bryan County Sheriff’s Office, the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office, the Evans County Sheriff’s Office, the Emanuel County Sheriff’s Office, the Savannah Police Department, the Chatham County Police Department, the Richmond Hill Police Department, the Pooler Police Department, the Port Wentworth Police Department, the Rincon Police Department, the Pembroke Police Department, the Claxton Police Department, and the Bloomingdale Police Department, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys E. Greg Gilluly Jr. and Frank Pennington.
OPERATION VANILLA GORILLA BY THE NUMBERS:
43 defendants
21 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies
561 previous arrests of defendants: 184 felony convictions, 184 misdemeanors
4 defendants had more than 10 felony convictions each
4,500 months: total sentences for all defendants
104 months in prison: Average sentence per defendant
36 firearms seized
Drugs seized:
- Kilograms of methamphetamine
- Pounds of marijuana
- Quantities of heroin
- MDMA
- Crack cocaine
- Powder cocaine
U.S. Attorney's Office joins with local law enforcement to celebrate Dublin's successRead the Press Release
DUBLIN, GA: Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine on Wednesday credited local, state and federal cooperation with significantly improved safety in the city of Dublin.
During a morning news conference at the Dublin Police Department headquarters, U.S. Attorney Christine said according to the FBI’s recently released Uniform Crime Reports data, violent crime has decreased by more than 24 percent in Dublin during the past three years, compared to a national reduction during that period of just 3.5 percent.
“From the federal perspective, we know our role in fighting crime in Dublin is only a small part of the battle,” said Christine, who oversees federal prosecutions in the 43 counties of Georgia’s Southern District. “The boots on the ground are local law enforcement and prosecutorial partners who live, work, play and worship in this community and have a very direct stake in removing criminals and their influence from their neighborhoods.”
In making the announcement Christine credited the decrease in crime to cooperation of all law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies’ efforts through the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods program that focuses on gun violence, and the Southern District’s Prosecutor to Prosecutor (P3) program that coordinates local and federal prosecutions to find the most effective venue for handling criminal cases.
Both programs represent key elements of the newly announced Project Guardian from the Department of Justice, which seeks to combat gun crime through improved coordination of law enforcement and prosecutors at all levels.
Christine’s comments were echoed by Brian Ozden, Supervisory Special Agent with the FBI, who also attended the news conference. “In the past year, our joint effort has resulted in the indictment of 13 people on federal charges,” Ozden said. “So far, nine of those indicted resulted in guilty pleas, and one was convicted at trial. It has also resulted in the seizure of 11 firearms.”
Both Christine and Ozden praised the efforts of Dublin Police Chief Tim Chatman and Dublin Judicial Circuit District Attorney Craig Fraser in their continued work to reduce crime and make the Dublin community safer.
Disgraced drug doctor's street-level dealer sentenced to federal prisonRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, Ga: A man who admitted providing phony patients to a disgraced physician in a scheme to obtain opioids for illicit street sales has been sentenced to federal prison.
Zachary Lusk, 40, of Plainville, Ga., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge William T. Moore Jr. to 40 months in prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Controlled Substances (Schedule IV), said Bobby L. Christine, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.
After completion of his sentence, Lusk will spend three years on supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
As described in court documents and testimony, Lusk admitted providing lists of individuals to Dr. Johnny Di Blasi, a physician who operated clinics in Pooler, Ga., and Braselton, Ga. Di Blasi wrote prescriptions for opioids and other controlled substances, including Oxycodone and Alprazolam, which Lusk would have filled at pharmacies. Lusk sold the pills for cash and shared the proceeds with Di Blasi.
Some of these prescriptions were written to several individuals Lusk brought to meet with Di Blasi at a restaurant where, during an “oxycodone breakfast,” Di Blasi provided illegitimate prescriptions to the group.
Di Blasi is serving a 33-month federal sentence after pleading guilty to pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Unlawfully Dispense Controlled Substances (Oxycodone).
“With ‘Dr. Johnny’ providing access to addictive opioids, Zachary Lusk operated a lucrative business as a street-level drug dealer,” said Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine. “They’ve both exchanged that ‘easy money’ for their freedom as they are held accountable for fueling the deadly opioid crisis.”
Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division stated, “This case was made possible because of spirited cooperation between DEA, its law enforcement partners and the subsequent prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Zachary Lusk lined his pockets off the backs of addicts strung out on prescription medication. Consequently, he can no longer fuel the opioid crisis by feeding prescription pill seekers, but instead, will join his disgraced co-conspirator Dr. Johnny Di Blasi by spending well-deserved time in prison.”
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Chatham-Savannah Counter Narcotics Team (CNT), with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Josephson, J. Thomas Clarkson and Jonathan Porter prosecuted the case for the United States.
Man indicted for coercing minors for sex; wife accused of trying to persuade victim to recantRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A Bryan County man and his wife are charged in separate federal indictments with coercing minors for sex and tampering with a witness.
Michael Wilson, 37, is charged with one count each of Coercion and Enticement of a Minor to Engage in Sexual Activity, and Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor to Engage in Sexual Activity, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The charges carry possible sentences of up to life in prison, and there is no parole in the federal system.
Lori Wilson, a/k/a “Loretta Lightningbolt,” 34, is charged in a separate federal indictment with Tampering with a Victim or Witness, a charge that carries a possible sentence of up to 20 years in prison, along with up to five years of supervised release.
“Exploitation of children is inexcusable,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “Our office and law enforcement partners will aggressively pursue and bring to justice anyone who would victimize the most vulnerable among us.”
According to court documents and testimony, Michael Wilson is accused of attempting to coerce multiple minor victims to engage in sexual activity from 2017 through early 2019. After the minors reported the information to authorities, Lori Wilson “did knowingly intimidate, corruptly persuade, and engage in misleading conduct,” the indictment states, in an effort to persuade one of the victims to “withhold information regarding… reports of sexual assault.”
Lori Wilson, the indictment states, attempted to persuade the victim that the minor’s experiences were “psychic visions” or “dreams” in an effort “to prevent truthful communication of information relating to the possible commission of a federal offense to agents of the Army Criminal Investigation Division.”
“The allegations in this indictment are disturbing in many different ways,” said Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta, Chris Hacker. “The FBI will make every effort to protect our most vulnerable members of society from adults who choose to prey on them.”
Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The cases were investigated by the FBI and by the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command, and prosecuted for the United States by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katelyn Semales and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer G. Solari.
Health care fraud indictment charges man and his company in scheme to bilk Medicare, MedicaidRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, GA: A man and his “marketing company” have been named in a five-count federal indictment for a scheme that paid workers to solicit elderly residents for information used to fraudulently bill government medical programs.
Patrick Siado, of Texas, and his company, Optimus Prime Marketing, LLC, are charged with one count of Conspiracy and four counts of Health Care Fraud, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The Conspiracy charge carries a penalty of up to five years in prison, while each count of Health Care Fraud carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison. In addition to substantial fines and penalties, the charges also call for up to three years of supervised release after completion of any prison sentence. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Fraudulent testing and billing schemes make health care more expensive for everyone,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “It’s even worse when it targets programs designed to assist the elderly and poor, while potentially threatening their future health care needs. We’re grateful for the work to protect these vulnerable citizens by our federal, state and local partners, particularly the Augusta District Attorney’s Office and the Burke County Sheriff’s Office.”
According to the indictment, Siado and his company, along with other companies referenced as unindicted co-conspirators, hired individuals to solicit information and DNA swabs from low-income and elderly residents. The individuals were paid $150 for each “patient,” with the information transmitted to another unindicted co-conspirator company that in turn would submit fraudulent claims to Medicare and Medicaid. Siado and his company would then receive a kickback of from $100 to $575 per test accepted for billing.
The indictment states, “Siado knew that his orders were procured through an unlawful kickback relationship, not ordered as medically necessary by the beneficiary’s treating physician, and not payable.” Each of those claims were billed to Medicaid for more than $30,000.
“When individuals bilk government subsidized programs like Medicare and Medicaid, there are many losers, to include every single taxpayer in this country and the low-income and elderly who are entitled to those funds,” said Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta, Chris Hacker. “The FBI makes it a priority to root out such abuse by partnering with our federal, state and local partners.”
“The fraudulent billing of Medicare and Medicaid by unscrupulous individuals in order to line their own pockets, as alleged in this case, is unacceptable,” said Derrick L. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge for the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “Our office will continue to work with our partners to ensure that those responsible for such schemes are held accountable.”
“Schemes which intentionally target our Medicaid population for profit without any intention of helping those individuals must be stopped,” said Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr. “This prosecution reflects our office’s ongoing commitment to working with our federal and local partners to put a stop to such predatory behavior.”
“I am incredibly proud of the hard work that my C.A.V.E. (Crimes Against the Vulnerable and Elderly) Unit put in to this investigation,” said Natalie Paine, District Attorney for the Augusta Judicial Circuit. “The men and women who serve on C.A.V.E. continue to prove that preying on our vulnerable citizens will not be tolerated. I am thankful for U.S. Attorney Bobby Christine’s unwavering commitment to aiding in the prosecution of those whom C.A.V.E. has worked so hard to bring to justice.”
“Community policing; partnerships with the community along with local, state, and federal agencies; and proactive officers and deputies help to prevent or end situations such as this,” said Burke County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Lewis Blanchard. “We are proud that our C.A.V.E. team member deputy, along with the Waynesboro Police Department officers, ensured that this situation was taken to the next level. Protecting our most vulnerable and elderly citizens is a high priority for our office.”
Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Including the defendants charged today, the Southern District of Georgia has now charged 21 individuals and companies as part of the nationwide crackdown on fraudulent genetic testing, and prescribing of orthotic braces and pain creams. For the 21 Southern District of Georgia defendants alone, this scheme has led to more than $400 million in losses to Medicare and Medicaid. Those who believe they might have been a victim of such a scheme should contact Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Thomas Clarkson at 912-652-4422.
The investigation is being conducted by the FBI, the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Georgia Attorney General’s Office, the Augusta Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office, and the Burke County Sheriff’s Office, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys J. Thomas Clarkson and Hank Syms, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James P. Mooney.
Operation Snowplow nets more than 10 federal convictions and sentencesRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: An 11th defendant pled guilty and three additional defendants received federal prison sentences today as the prosecution of a major drug trafficking and money laundering organization continues.
Sentences this week in Operation Snowplow, which represents the largest single seizure of cocaine to date by the Chatham-Savannah Counter Narcotics Team (CNT), brings to nine the number of defendants sentenced, with two awaiting sentencing and three more defendants still being sought.
“The agencies who slammed the door on these merchants of misery include dedicated law enforcement professionals and prosecutors who team up to make our community safer,” said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “For once in their lives, these convicted felons will make our neighborhoods better by no longer being part of them.”
According to court documents and testimony, the drug-trafficking organization led by Omar Griffin and others acquired significant quantities of cocaine from Texas and Marijuana from California, along with other narcotics, from at least February 2014 through March 2018. The drugs were then packaged in children’s toys and DVD players, and concealed in cargo vans and truck trailers for shipment to Savannah, for distribution to mid-level dealers from several Savannah-area residences.
On March 5, 2018, law enforcement intercepted a shipment of 25 kilograms of cocaine that had been driven from Texas to a hotel in Richmond Hill, Ga., concealed inside a cargo trailer. Officers also seized more than $387,000 in cash that had been exchanged for the cocaine. After interdicting the drugs, law enforcement executed a number of search and arrest warrants. In total in this investigation, law enforcement seized more than 25 kilograms of cocaine, more than 30 pounds of marijuana, approximately $750,000 in cash, nearly two dozen firearms (including semi-automatic rifles), and other narcotics.
Defendants sentenced this week include:
- Herman Williams, 44, of Savannah, convicted of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Cocaine, sentenced to 132 months in prison;
- Vincent Hooper, 55, of Savannah, convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, sentenced to 30 months in prison;
- Emmett Ramsey, 36, of Savannah, convicted of Unlawful Use of a Communication Facility, sentenced to 42 months in prison;
Defendants awaiting sentencing include:
- Allen Grady, 42, of Port Wentworth, Ga., convicted of Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering; and,
- Barron Robertson, 53, of Savannah, convicted of Possession with Intent to Distribute 5 Kilograms or more of Cocaine.
Defendants previously sentenced include:
- Barrington Miller, 48, of Savannah, convicted of Distribution of Cocaine, Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises, and Unlawful Use of a Communication Facility, sentenced to 120 months in prison;
- Justin Swinton, 38: of Port Wentworth, convicted of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute 50 kilograms or more of marihuana, sentenced to 37 months in prison;
- Rodrigo Rodriguez, 48: of Houston, Texas, convicted of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine and 50 kilograms or more of marihuana, sentenced to 84 months in prison;
- Desmond Jones, 48, of Houston, convicted of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute 5 kilograms or more of Cocaine, sentenced to 56 month in prison;
- Edgar Guadalupe-Marroquin, 36: of Houston, convicted of Interstate Travel to Carry on Unlawful Activities, sentenced to 60 months in prison; and,
- Christian Ramirez-Leyton, 44, of Houston, convicted of Interstate Travel to Carry on Unlawful Activities, sentenced to 60 months in prison.
Three defendants remain fugitives:
- Kia Hickman, 48, of Savannah;
- Omar Griffin, 40, of Pooler, Ga.; and,
- Jamaal Singleton, 41, of Savannah.
Individuals with information on the whereabouts of Griffin, Hickman, or Singleton can anonymously contact CNT at 912-652-3900, or Crime Stoppers at 912-234-2020. Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
“This was an outstanding operation that not only positively impacted our local community but the nation as a whole,” said Everett Ragan, Director of CNT. “It was deemed successful because local, state, and federal enforcement agencies came together to plow this organization right into the ground.”
“Operation Snowplow emphasizes the importance of collaborative efforts between the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and our federal partners, reinforcing the Postal Inspection Service’s mission of protecting the public and preventing criminal misuse of our mail,” said Lesley C. Allison, Acting Inspector in Charge of the Miami Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Operation Snowplow was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), the premier U.S. Department of Justice program to dismantle multi-jurisdictional drug trafficking organizations, and conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Chatham-Savannah Counter Narcotics Team, Savannah Police Department, Chatham County Police Department, and the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office K9 Unit and the Chatham County Aviation Unit, and prosecuted for the United States by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia.
Georgia prison guard convicted of possession of drugs with intent to distributeRead the Press Release
DUBLIN, GA: A Georgia Department of Corrections officer was convicted on federal drug charges after a two-day trial in U.S. District Court.
Lekesia Lashea Harden, 23, of Dublin, was convicted on one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana and Methamphetamine, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The charge carries a minimum sentence of 10 years to life in prison, and includes a period of supervised release after completion of the prison sentence. There is no parole in the federal system.
Harden, who worked as a corrections officer at Wheeler Correctional Facility, a medium-security, privately owned state prison in Alamo, Ga., was indicted along with her boyfriend, Tremayne O. Linder, 30, of Dublin, who recently pled guilty to the same charge.
“A corrections officer undoubtedly understood the potential risk of associating with a convicted felon and engaging in drug trafficking,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “She now faces substantial time inside a prison cell as the price for her inexcusable violation of the law.”
Officers from the Dublin Police Department and Georgia Department of Community Supervision visited Harden and Linder’s residence April 9, 2018, to serve Linder with an arrest warrant for failing to complete requirements of probation. During a subsequent search of the residence, officers found 12 small packages, two containing methamphetamine and 10 containing marijuana. As noted in court documents and testimony, the marijuana was wrapped in electrical tape with some of the packages containing rolling papers, a sign that the material was packaged for contraband delivery to prison.
“Harden decided that her relationship with a convicted felon was more important than the oath she swore as a corrections officer,” said Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta Chris Hacker. “Unfortunately, her decision taints every law enforcement officer who upholds their oath daily. But they can rest assured that she is being held accountable.”
The case was investigated by the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Dublin Police Department, and prosecuted for the United States by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Marchman and Assistant U.S. Attorney Hank Syms.
Georgia pharmacist admits lying about filling prescriptions for high-volume opioid doctorsRead the Press Release
BRUNSWICK, GA: A Darien pharmacist is facing up to five years in prison after admitting that she lied about filling prescriptions for prescribers of high volumes of opioids and other controlled substances.
Janice Ann Colter, 62, of Darien, Ga., entered a guilty plea to one count of False Statements Relating to Health Care Matters, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Colter faces up to five years in prison and substantial fines and restitution, along with three years of supervised release upon completion of any prison sentence. There is no parole in the federal system.
“As the opioid crisis has burned across our nation, unethical medical professionals have poured fuel on the raging fire of addiction,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “Our office will continue to vigorously prosecute drug dealers who hide behind white coats while profiteering from their greed.”
As part of her guilty plea, Colter, who formerly was the pharmacist-in-charge of Darien Pharmacy, admitted lying about filling prescriptions written by high-volume prescribers of opioids and other controlled substances. According to court documents and testimony, those prescribers included Dr. Frank H. Bynes Jr. of Savannah, recently convicted in U.S. District Court on multiple counts of Unlawful Dispensation of Controlled Substances and Health Care Fraud, and other physicians located as far away as Florida. From 2015 to 2017, Darien Pharmacy received more than one million dosage units of highly addictive opioids from its suppliers.
Colter, along with Darien Pharmacy, also is a defendant in a federal suit filed in August, seeking civil penalties for filling prescriptions for controlled substances that she “knew or should have known were not issued for legitimate medical reasons and by a provider not acting within the regular course of professional practice,” according to the suit.
Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the DEA said, “This pharmacist misled her suppliers to keep open a pipeline to prescribers who were doling out massive amounts of addicting controlled substances. Ms. Colter was not only reckless with regard to the many patients she served, but she also violated the trust of the community she served.”
“Pharmacist Colter placed profit and greed over the health and welfare of her community,” said Derrick L. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge for the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure that tax payer funds are not used to line the pockets of criminals who fuel the opioid crisis.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Health and the Human Services Office of Inspector General investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Thomas Clarkson prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Former Camden County Public Service Authority Executive Director pleads guilty to tax evasionRead the Press Release
BRUNSWICK, GA: The former executive director of the Camden County Public Service Authority has admitted misappropriating funds intended for payment of employees’ federal payroll taxes.
Willliam Brunson, 52, of Kingsland, Ga., entered a guilty plea to one count of Tax Evasion in U.S. District Court in Brunswick, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The charge carries a penalty of up to five years in prison, along with fines, restitution and supervised release upon completion of any prison sentence. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Public employees in high places raking ill-gotten gains into their own pockets from taxpayers creates public distrust,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “William Brunson’s greed destroyed a lot of goodwill, and fuels the cynicism and distrust that unfairly stains public service all too often.”
According to court documents and testimony, Brunson was responsible for paying over to the Internal Revenue Service employment taxes on behalf of the Public Service Authority (PSA). Federal taxes were withheld from employees’ paychecks from 2014 to 2016, but Brunson failed to remit more than $677,000 that was due to the IRS. In addition to not filing his personal tax returns during that period, Brunson also used a Camden County PSA credit card and other funds for his personal use, including the purchase of antique cars and car parts.
Brunson was terminated from the PSA in May 2018 after an audit of PSA finances and an investigation by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI).
“Corruption involving public officials will not be tolerated in the state of Georgia,” said Vic Reynolds, Director of the GBI. “It is essential that violators like Brunson be held accountable for these types of crimes. The GBI is fully committed to working with our federal partners to conduct public corruption investigations.”
“Brunson betrayed the public’s trust for personal gain. Instead of helping the community, Brunson was enriching himself at the expense of the taxpayers whom he was to serve. As a result of his greed, he must now be held accountable for his crimes in order to restore public trust,” said Thomas J. Holloman III, Special Agent in Charge of the IRS-Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “IRS-CI will continue to leverage its skilled workforce in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to eradicate public corruption by recommending prosecution of any government employee involved in criminal activity under the guise of serving the public.”
“In our mission to protect U.S. citizens, nothing is more disturbing than when public officials abuse their positions by stealing from the taxpayers they serve,” said Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta Chris Hacker. “Hopefully, holding Brunson accountable for his greed, will help regain the public’s trust that was eroded by his actions.”
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, the FBI and the GBI, and prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia.
Naval base protesters found guilty on all countsRead the Press Release
BRUNSWICK, GA: All seven defendants in the April 2018 illegal entry and vandalism of Submarine Base Kings Bay were found guilty on federal charges after a four-day jury trial in U.S. District Court.
Stephen Michael Kelly, Mark Peter Colville, Clare Therese Grady, Martha Hennessy, Elizabeth McAlister, Patrick M. O’Neill, and Carmen Trotta were found guilty of Conspiracy, Destruction of Property on a Naval Installation, Depredation of Government Property, and Trespass, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Each defendant faces a sentence of up to 20 years plus six months in prison, and there is no parole in the federal system. Sentencing will be held at a later date.
“This verdict demonstrates the jury’s agreement with the simple fact of this case: that these individuals violated the security of a military installation and damaged federal government property,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “Our office will vigorously protect those who lawfully exercise their Constitutional rights to protest peacefully, but we will aggressively pursue those who violate the law under the guise of such activities.”
As admitted by the defendants during the trial, with their own videos of the activities shown to jurors, the seven entered an outer security fence at the naval installation after cutting a padlock from a gate during the late hours of April 4, 2018. Once inside, the group damaged and vandalized property inside the facility before being taken into custody by naval security personnel.
“Damaging the perimeter security of a U.S. Navy base for any purpose poses a significant threat to national security,” said Special Agent in Charge Matt Lascell of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Southeast Field Office. “NCIS is dedicated to investigating criminal activity that wastes taxpayer money and threatens the Department of the Navy’s ability to carry out its critical mission.”
The case was prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karl Knoche and E. Greg Gilluly Jr., with assistance from Litigation Technologist Dean Athanasopoulos. Special Agents Thomas Kenney and Barry Clinedinst led the investigation for NCIS.
Federal jury convicts disgruntled employee of arson at Savannah's historic Gryphon Tea RoomRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A Savannah man is facing a substantial prison sentence after a federal jury returned a guilty verdict against him.
Chase Anthony Davis, 30, of Savannah, was convicted of Arson on Thursday, Oct. 24, 2019, after a three-day trial in U.S. District Court, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Davis faces a sentence of five to 20 years in prison, followed by a period of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to evidence presented at trial, on the evening of May 8, 2019, Davis, an employee of the Gryphon Tea Room, broke into the landmark restaurant located at 337 Bull Street in Savannah’s Historic District. Davis set six separate fires in the dining room area of the restaurant owned by the Savannah College of Art and Design. The fires self-extinguished, and the property damage caused to the restaurant has since been restored.
Gryphon shares space with The Arts Café and The Scottish Rite Temple and is closely connected with St. John’s Episcopal Church and numerous historic residential structures. It is housed in an adapted early 20th century apothecary constructed between 1913 and 1926.
“It’s fortunate that this malicious arson attack from a disgruntled employee failed to destroy a historical treasure in Savannah, and a welcome victory for justice that a jury of his peers is holding Davis accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “We commend the Savannah Fire Department, the Savannah Police Department, Savannah College of Art and Design security personnel and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives for their combined efforts to make our district safer.”
“This verdict shows ATF and the U.S. Attorney’s Office realize that starting a fire is a crime of violence that places innocent people’s lives and property in harm’s way, and demonstrates their collaborative efforts to fight the crime of arson,” said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (AFT).
This case was investigated by the ATF and the Savannah Police Department, and was prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Bearden and Jenna Solari.
Seven people indicted for operating narcotics market from Savannah seafood restaurantRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: The owner of a seafood restaurant, three family members and three others have been charged in a drug trafficking conspiracy that alleges the store was used as a front for the sale of marijuana and THC vaping pens.
The indictments, unsealed this week, allege The Original Nancy’s Seafood, at 2211 Skidaway Road, Savannah, was used to take in large quantities of marijuana and THC oil for repackaging and sale, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.
“Savannah is a wonderful city for seafood,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “It shouldn’t be a marketplace for illegal drugs.”
The investigation began in August 2019, when law enforcement agencies tracked the source of marijuana being sold in Bulloch County to Savannah. Those named in the four-count indictment include:
Trinh Kapu, 46, of Savannah, owner of The Original Nancy’s Seafood; Ikaika Kapu, 28, of Savannah; Micah Kapu, 21, of Savannah; Matthew Dulin, 36, of Savannah; and Paul Gonning II, 23, of Savannah, all charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Marijuana, Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises, and Money Laundering Conspiracy.
In addition, Thanh Nguyen, 44, of Roseville, Calif., is charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Marijuana, Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises, and Money Laundering Conspiracy; and Chandler McMillian, 20, of Metter, is charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Marijuana.
The charges carry penalties of up to 20 years in federal prison, with an additional sentence of up to five years for the firearms charge.
Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Atlanta Field Division said, “These indictments should serve as a clear reminder to business operators who facilitate drug trafficking and money laundering schemes: While you think your criminal acts are going unnoticed, they are not. DEA, its law enforcement counterparts and the U.S. Attorney’s Office are watching; it’s just a matter of time before you are caught and brought to justice.”
“Unfortunately, drugs cross boundaries. In this case, they were being sold out of an establishment that was meant to be a safe place for patrons,” said Everett Ragan, Director of the Chatham-Savannah Counter Narcotics Team (CNT). “We must remain vigilant when it comes to illegal activity and do our part to ensure our establishments are safe for visitors and not a danger.”
The case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Chatham-Savannah County Counter-Narcotics Team and the Bulloch County Sheriff’s Office, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank M. Pennington II and Joshua Bearden, in coordination with the Asset Recovery Unit.
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List of indicted defendants and charges
- Trinh Kapu, 46, of Savannah, owner of The Original Nancy’s Seafood, is charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Marijuana, Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises, and Money Laundering Conspiracy;
- Ikaika Kapu, 28, of Savannah, is charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Marijuana, Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises, and Money Laundering Conspiracy;
- Micah Kapu, 21, of Savannah, is charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Marijuana, Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises, and Money Laundering Conspiracy;
- Matthew Dulin, 36, of Savannah, is charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Marijuana, Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises, and Money Laundering Conspiracy;
- Paul Gonning II, 23, of Savannah, is charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Marijuana, Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises, and Money Laundering Conspiracy;
- Thanh Nguyen, 44, of Roseville, Calif., is charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Marijuana, Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises, and Money Laundering Conspiracy; and,
- Chandler McMillian, 20, of Metter, is charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Marijuana.
Pill-mill doctor convicted on 16 counts of healthcare fraud, illegally dispensing drugsRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A Savannah doctor who operated a “pill mill” dispensing massive amounts of controlled substances – usually in return for cash – has been found guilty on 16 counts after a three-and-a-half day trial.
Dr. Frank H. Bynes Jr., of Savannah, was found guilty by a federal jury on 13 counts of Unlawful Dispensation of Controlled Substances, and three counts of Health Care Fraud, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The penalty for the charges is up to 20 years in prison, followed by a period of supervised release, for each of the counts of Unlawful Dispensation of Controlled Substances, and 10 years for each of the counts of Health Care Fraud. There is no parole in the federal system.
Sentencing will be at a later date.
“The actions of Dr. Bynes are especially shocking in their massive scope, with countless individuals suffering because of the products of his illegal pill mill, including cocktails of opioids and other controlled substances, which he distributed to feed the addictions of people who were supposed to be in his care,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “Medical professionals who violate their oaths and ethics while violating the law will find no safe haven in the Southern District, and we will be relentless in shutting down these white-coated drug dealers.”
According to court testimony and documents, Bynes worked at the MBA Community Clinic in Savannah, a/k/a MBA Diabetic Shoe and Supply Store, and at Georgia Laboratory Diagnostic in Garden City, where he wrote prescriptions for massive quantities of narcotics. Many of those prescriptions were for the known “holy trinity” drug cocktail of opioids, alprazolam and Soma, and were provided to large numbers of patients – including those who Bynes knew were addicted to controlled substances. According to evidence introduced at trial, Bynes prescribed the deadly drug cocktail more frequently to Medicare patients than any other physician in the United States.
While operating his illegal pill mill, Bynes falsely claimed to work for the Department of Justice and displayed false law enforcement credentials to his patients and others. Bynes also engaged in unprofessional sexual conduct with female patients, using his prescribing as a tool to coerce female patients.
Among other evidence introduced at trial, Bynes collected photographs of his female patients in his phone and e-mail accounts, including hundreds of women to whom he prescribed controlled substances. Evidence also included documents establishing Bynes knew multiple patients suffered an overdose – yet Bynes disregarded numerous warnings to continue to prescribe the drug cocktail on which his patients had overdosed. In addition, Bynes defrauded Medicaid, Medicare and Tricare, resulting in excess of $2 million in fraudulent pharmacy claims.
“For years, Dr. Bynes manipulated his patients and helped fuel one of the worst public health epidemics in Georgia’s history,” said Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr. “I am hopeful that the jury’s verdict may now begin the healing process for the many individuals and families afflicted by Dr. Bynes’ illegal prescribing practices.”
Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) stated, “The dispensing of addictive prescription pain medication under the guise of a doctor’s care is not about the good of the community or an individual’s specific health needs; it is about greed. Individuals like Dr. Bynes who are involved in ‘pill mill’ activity are drug dealers who are licensed to wear white coats and carry stethoscopes. The guilty verdict makes the Savannah area a safer place today.”
“Today’s verdict underscores the egregious criminal conduct of Dr. Bynes,” says Derrick L. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge for Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) in Atlanta. “For a physician to engage in sexual acts with patients while writing an inordinate amount of unnecessary and fraudulent opioid prescriptions goes against the very oath he has taken to ‘first, do no harm.’ HHS OIG will continue to work with our partners to protect the health and well-being of all Americans.”
“It saddens me that Dr. Bynes victimized military members and their dependents who were struggling with addiction,” stated Special Agent in Charge Cynthia A. Bruce, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Southeast Field Office. “DCIS and our law enforcement partners will fully investigate and bring to justice those who choose to put their own personal interests ahead of the medical well-being of their patients.”
“I am both excited and saddened by Doctor Frank Bynes’ conviction. One of the oldest oath’s in history, which doctors completing medical school still take today in various versions, states the ethical and moral obligations that doctors have to their patients. While the vast majority of the country’s licensed physicians are caring and conscientious individuals who hold the oath as inviolate, there are a minority of doctors that violate the sacred pledge they have taken and violate the trust of their patients. Sadly in this case, Dr. Bynes chose to violate his oath in exchange for sexual and financial gain,” said Everett Ragan, Director of the Chatham-Savannah Counter Narcotics Team (CNT). “In doing so, Dr. Bynes not only violated his oath but also violated the trust of his patients, flooding the Chatham County community and Southeast region with these very dangerous and addictive narcotic/opioid pain medications. I take pride in knowing the Chatham-Savannah Counter Narcotics Team played a major role in dismantling Dr. Bynes and his unlawful dispensation of controlled substances, and am thankful he can no longer poison our community.”
Any individuals who believe they were victims of Bynes should call Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Thomas Clarkson at (912) 652-4422.
The case was investigated by the DEA, HHS-OIG, DCIS, the Georgia Medicaid Control Fraud Unit, and CNT, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys J. Thomas Clarkson and Matthew Josephson, with assistance from Litigation Technologist Dean Athanasopoulos and Jim Mooney, Deputy Director of the Georgia Medicaid Control Fraud Unit and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney.
Man Convicted by South Florida Jury of Laundering More than $3 Million in Proceeds from International Cyber ScamsRead the Press Release
FORT LAUDERDALE - Elvin I. Lewis, Jr., of Hollywood, Florida, was convicted today of conspiracy to commit money laundering and money laundering charges, following a five-day jury trial. The charges stemmed from his decision to launder more than $3 million dollars in fraud proceeds from business email compromise (“BEC”) cyber scams, announced U.S. Attorney Ariana Fajardo Orshan for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Brian Swain of the U.S. Secret Service (USSS) Miami Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge George L. Piro of the FBI’s Miami Field Office.
According to evidence at trial, from approximately November 2017 through August 2018, in Broward County, Florida, and elsewhere, Lewis knowingly and willfully agreed to participate in, and did participate in, a conspiracy to commit money laundering, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1956(h) (Case No. 19cr60034). The purpose of the scheme was for Lewis and his co-conspirators to unlawfully enrich themselves, to hide illegal proceeds, and to further wire fraud schemes by, among other things, withdrawing, depositing, and transferring fraudulently obtained funds between banks, and individuals. As trial testimony established, Lewis also recruited others into the money laundering network, including a co-conspirator based in Detroit, whom he originally solicited on Craigslist.
Lewis’s co-conspirators – believed to be located abroad – contacted businesses (the “business victims”) located throughout the United States, using email, social media, and other Internet-based methods of communication, and falsely and fraudulently posed as vendors seeking payment for services rendered, in order to facilitate the BEC scams. The co-conspirators, posing as vendors, used spoofed emails and email account takeover techniques to send emails falsely and fraudulently directing the business victims to make payments to various bank accounts, through wire transfers, in purported satisfaction of invoices due to the actual vendors.
Lewis’s role in the laundering conspiracy was to wire fraud proceeds from the BEC scams into other corporate accounts under his and his co-conspirators’ control, in return for a five to ten percent cut of the funds. In particular, as trial evidence established, Lewis created more than eight accounts at different banks for his purported real estate investment business, “A NuFinancial Consortium LLC.” Through these accounts, Lewis laundered more than $3 million in BEC proceeds in less than a year, approximately $2.3 million of which was laundered in less than two weeks. Lewis variously converted the funds to cashier’s checks and cash, and wired money between accounts.
The business victims of the cyber scams included: a major Canadian city; a trucking company in Tennessee; a power company in Ohio; an axle company in Indiana and Detroit; an importing business in Chicago; and others.
In total, Lewis made more than $160,000 in cash during the course of the fraud and money laundering schemes. He used the funds to acquire a Porsche, which law enforcement seized as part of this criminal case.
Lewis is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 10, 2020 at 3:30 p.m. before U.S. District Judge Roy K. Altman. He faces a statutory maximum sentence of twenty years in prison as to each of the eleven counts of conviction. He also faces up to three years of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties.
U.S. Attorney Fajardo Orshan commended the investigatory efforts of the USSS and FBI in this matter. She also thanked IRS-CI’s Orlando Field Office for the trial assistance provided by a money laundering expert. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lisa H. Miller and Michele S. Vigilance. The asset forfeiture component of the case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alison W. Lehr and Daren Grove.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Tax preparer charged with fraud in 36-count indictmentRead the Press Release
STATESBORO, GA: A tax preparer has been charged with preparing fraudulent federal income tax returns that resulted in illegally excessive refunds for multiple clients.
Shawree A. Hagins, 58, of Millen, Ga., is charged with 36 counts of Fraud and False Statements in a federal indictment, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. In addition to fines and asset forfeiture, the charges carry a possible sentence of up to three years in prison, followed by a period of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to the court documents, Hagins is charged with preparing 36 tax returns on behalf of 12 clients, fraudulently claiming deductions in excess of the amount to which the taxpayers were entitled. The fraudulent claims resulted in excessive refunds of $162,890.
“Tax fraud steals from every legal, taxpaying citizen,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “In the Southern District, tax preparers who think they can earn a few extra bucks by committing fraud are in for a rude awakening – and a day of reckoning.”
“We cannot allow anyone to claim money that doesn’t belong to them at the expense of the American taxpayer,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The allegations against Hagins indicate a flagrant disrespect for the law and an abuse of a position of trust simply for personal greed.”
“The IRS Criminal Investigation Division takes tax violations very seriously,” said Thomas J. Holloman III, Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Office. “As we approach the 2020 tax filing season, those who might consider preparing false tax returns should be aware of the extremely negative consequences as evidenced in this indictment. The indictment of Shawree Hagins emphasizes that the Internal Revenue Service and U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue their aggressive pursuit of those who would attempt to defraud America’s tax system.”
Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations and the FBI, and is being prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Lyons.
Defendants in drug conspiracy, firearms crimes get total sentences of more than 400 months in prisonRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: Three Savannah men will spend a total of nearly 34 years in federal prison after sentencing for a drug trafficking conspiracy and firearms crimes discovered after a high-speed chase with Georgia state troopers.
Amari Jermaine Sams, a/k/a/ “Face”, 37, of Savannah, was sentenced to 200 months in prison by U.S. District Court Judge R. Stan Baker, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Sams was convicted in July after a three-day jury trial for Conspiracy to Possess With Intent Distribute 50 grams or more of Methamphetamine and a quantity of Cocaine and Marijuana; Possession With Intent to Distribute 50 grams or more of Methamphetamine and a quantity of Cocaine and Marijuana; Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person; Possession of a Stolen Firearm; and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.
Also sentenced were Sams’ co-conspirators, Hakeem Campbell, 28, of Savannah, sentenced to 120 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine and a Quantity of Cocaine and Marijuana; and Jovonn Brisbon, 31, of Savannah, sentenced to 86 months in prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Cocaine and Marijuana and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. All three will be subject to terms of supervised release after completion of their incarceration, and there is no parole in the federal system.
“Our community is automatically a safer place today because three violent drug traffickers are off of our streets,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “We’re grateful that our state troopers safely ended their reckless attempt to flee from justice, and applaud the work of our law enforcement partners and prosecutors in slamming the door on these dangerous felons.”
According to evidence presented in court documents and proceedings, on the morning of April 22, 2018, Sams, Brisbon and Campbell stole a Ford F-150 from the Savannah Airport and fled from Georgia State Patrol officers at speeds up to 120 mph. During the pursuit, a stolen Glock 40 firearm was thrown from the vehicle and later recovered. State troopers forced the vehicle to a stop and apprehended Brisbon and Campbell, and Savannah Police Department officers captured Sams hiding in a creek parallel to I-516. A search of the stolen vehicle yielded approximately 75 grams of methamphetamine, and inside a book bag found next to the vehicle officers found a stolen Springfield XD .45 caliber pistol, approximately 1 pound of marijuana, 29 grams of cocaine, scales and baggies. The occupants had more than $4,000 cash combined.
“This case is an example of the partnership between ATF and its local partners to investigate the perpetrators of violent crime,” said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives (ATF). “These sentences will ensure the incarceration of three dangerous criminals and contribute to the restoration of order and peace in Savannah.”
“Law enforcement is a collaborative effort, as this case highlights,” said Everett Ragan, Chatham-Savannah County Narcotics Team (CNT) Director. “I am thankful for our partnerships and even more thankful our streets are now safer.”
“When criminals flee, it always adds an additional level of danger to the job a law enforcement officer performs,” said Lt. Stephanie Stallings, Public Information Director, Georgia State Patrol. “The Georgia State Patrol is proud to have well-trained troopers to assist when duty calls. It is an honor to take part in putting these criminals behind bars.”
This case was investigated by the ATF and CNT, along with the Savannah Police Department and the Georgia State Patrol. The case was prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Bearden and Frank Pennington.
Three men admit producing child pornographyRead the Press Release
STATESBORO, GA: A third guilty plea filed in U.S. District Court this week wraps up an investigation of child pornographers.
Charles Casey Garner, 40, of Brooklet, Ga., pled guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of Production of Child Pornography, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Previously, Richard Hunt Moore Jr., 48, of Hephzibah, Ga., and Carl Scott Ruger, 40, of Guyton, Ga., each pled guilty to one count of Production of Child Pornography.
The charge carries a minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and up to 30 years, along with substantial fines, restitution and asset forfeiture. After completion of their federal sentences, each will serve a period of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
A fourth target in the investigation committed suicide in Illinois before questioning.
According to court documents and testimony, the investigation began when Moore was found with a minor at a motel in Augusta. After questioning Moore, Columbia County Sheriff’s Office investigators and the FBI found child pornography on electronic devices in Moore’s possession.
Garner, Ruger and the fourth target were identified during the subsequent investigation that determined the men had been involved in the exploitation of a juvenile for the production of child pornography.
“The crimes these men committed are gut-wrenching and disgusting,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “Our prosecutors and law enforcement partners won’t rest while a single one of these pedophile predators walks the streets. No matter what dark shadows they hide in, we will find them and drag their perverted crimes into the light.”
“The production of child pornography is an assault against the most vulnerable members of our society,” said Special Agent in Charge Chris Hacker of the FBI Atlanta field office. “The FBI is committed to protecting our children and working with our law enforcement partners to identify and apprehend predators who carry out these atrocious crimes.”
The cases were investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI, along with the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office and the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tara Lyons and Marcela C. Mateo.
Federal charges and civil action announced in efforts to combat opioid epidemicRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: Pharmacists, a pharmacy, and several individuals have been named as defendants in various criminal and civil actions filed in federal court in the Southern District of Georgia as part of continuing efforts by the U.S. Attorney’s Office to combat the opioid epidemic.
The actions in Georgia and Florida were coordinated by the U.S. Department of Justice, and include 67 individuals charged in connection with various healthcare and controlled substance schemes.
For the actions taken in the Southern District of Georgia, U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine announced the following actions:
- A civil lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Brunswick, Ga., accuses Darien Pharmacy and Janice Ann Colter, 62, of Darien, Ga., pharmacist-in-charge of Darien Pharmacy, with filling prescriptions for controlled substances that she “knew or should have known were not issued for legitimate medical reasons and by a provider not acting with the regular course of professional practice.” The lawsuit represents the first-ever Controlled Substances Act suit against a pharmacy in the history of the Southern District of Georgia.
- A federal grand jury in Savannah indicted Jenna Savage, 26, of Port Wentworth, Ga.; Norman Lee Burnsed, 27, of Port Wentworth, Ga.; Tucker Chambers, 21, of Ellabell, Ga.; Macaila Brown, 22, of Rincon, Ga.; and Cameron Hilliard, 26, of Savannah, Ga., with conspiracy charges under the Controlled Substances Act relating to the distribution of oxycodone, Adderall, alprazolam, and clonazepam. Savage was further charged with 50 counts of illegally acquiring a controlled substance.
- A criminal information charges David L. Williford, 59, of Rincon, Ga., with illegally acquiring oxycodone. Williford, a pharmacist, is alleged in the information to have acquired the oxycodone from a pharmacy where he was employed.
“Nearly 70,000 people in the United States die each year from drug overdoses, and more than two-thirds of those deaths are due to opioid abuse,” said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “It is beyond outrageous when medical professionals and others fuel this crisis by pouring illegally prescribed drugs into the illicit drug supply pipeline, and our office will continue to take aim at such illegal activity.”
Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division, said “Pharmaceutical products that are distributed for non-medical reasons can be just as deadly as illicit drugs. The defendants in these cases endangered the community by their actions. These cases have been a success because of the unified efforts of our federal, state and local law enforcement counterparts.”
“Being a healthcare professional in the Medicare program is a privilege, not a right. When physicians and other healthcare providers put their own financial gain above patient well-being and honest billing of government health programs, they violate the basic trust that taxpayers extend to healthcare professionals,” said Special Agent in Charge Derrick L. Jackson of the HHS-OIG Atlanta Regional Office. “These cases put corrupt medical professionals on alert that law enforcement will do everything possible to root out all forms of waste, fraud and abuse in our federal health care programs.”
Criminal indictments and informations contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The claims asserted against defendants in a civil suit are allegations only and are not determinations of liability.
These cases are being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Department of Health and Human Resources Office of Inspector General, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradford Patrick, Jonathan Porter, Katelyn Semales, and Marcela C. Mateo.
Nineteen defendants charged in largest healthcare fraud scheme in Southern District historyRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: More than a dozen defendants, including 10 physicians and other medical professionals, have been charged for their alleged participation in a massive healthcare fraud scheme responsible for – in the Southern District of Georgia alone – more than $400 million in losses to Medicare.
The charges against 19 defendants in the Southern District of Georgia were announced Sept. 27 as part of a nationwide Department of Justice operation into a scheme that involved trafficking orders and prescriptions for genetic testing, orthotic braces and pain creams. The charges were part of Operation Double Helix, which focused on fraudulent billing of genetic testing, and the charges announced today involve tens of millions of dollars billed to Medicare and generating more than $7 million in fraudulent genetic testing charges to the Georgia Medicaid Program, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.
The healthcare fraud scheme charged is the largest in the history of the Southern District of Georgia. The Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries whose identities were used as part of the scheme are located throughout the Southern District of Georgia, including the Augusta, Brunswick, Dublin, Savannah, Statesboro, and Waycross Divisions, as well as elsewhere in the United States.
“The scope and sophistication of the health care fraud detected in Operation Double Helix and the related Operation Brace Yourself is nearly unprecedented. But the citizens of the Southern District of Georgia should know that we put together an unprecedented response,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “Our office charged more defendants, responsible for more health care fraud losses, than ever before in this office’s history. While these charges might be some of the first, they won’t be the last.”
The charges filed in the Southern District of Georgia were part of a nationwide operation, unveiled today by the U.S. Department of Justice, into individuals and entities that trafficked in patient information and prescriptions for genetic testing, orthotic braces, and pain creams. Nationwide, the DOJ announced charges against 35 defendants connected with the scheme, which is estimated to have resulted in more than $1.7 billion in fraudulent billing to the Medicare Program.
“These defendants allegedly duped Medicare beneficiaries into signing up for unnecessary genetic tests, costing Medicare billions of dollars,” Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Together with our law enforcement partners, the Department will continue to protect the public fisc and prosecute those who steal our taxpayer dollars.”
As part of this national enforcement action, U.S. Attorney Christine announced the following actions in the Southern District of Georgia:
- A federal grand jury in Savannah indicted Dr. Anthony Securo of Columbus, Ga., on five counts of health care fraud and five counts of false statements relating to health care. The indictment alleges that that Securo ordered more than 25,000 items of durable medical equipment for Medicare beneficiaries he claimed to be “treating,” but in fact never even met. These thousands of items were billed to Medicare for more than $23 million. According to the indictment, Securo ordered these medically unnecessary items after having short telephone conversations with the patients, but then signed medical records stating that Securo had performed examinations or physical tests of the patients that were never actually performed.
- The United States charged owners of two “telemedicine” physician recruiting companies who, according to court documents, operated companies that identified medical practitioners to write orders in exchange for payments, and facilitated such payments. Court documents allege that the two charged individuals, who were charged by criminal information with single counts of conspiracy, facilitated physician orders that ultimately were billed to Medicare for a combined $170 million.
- The United States charged nine medical professionals in addition to Securo for their roles in the healthcare fraud scheme, in which, according to court documents, the physicians and nurse practitioners ordered orthotic braces for Medicare beneficiaries they did not examine. Each were charged by criminal information with single counts of conspiracy for generating orders for orthotics, creams and laboratory tests that were billed to Medicare and the Georgia Medicaid Program for a combined $185 million.
Others charged in the Southern District of Georgia in the investigation included:
- The United States charged two individuals by criminal information with single counts of conspiracy for operating companies that bought and sold Medicare beneficiary information, and for operating companies that submitted claims for orthotic braces to the Medicare Program. Court documents allege that the two charged individuals brokered the sale of physician orders that ultimately were billed to Medicare for more than $10 million.
- The United States charged one company by criminal information with one count of conspiracy. According to court documents, the company brokered the sale of physician orders that ultimately were billed to Medicare for more than $10 million.
- The United States also charged by criminal information four companies that were created for the specific purpose of billing related to this scheme and billed no less than $8 million.
Indictments or criminal informations contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
“Through the dedicated work of U.S. Attorney Christine’s office, the FBI, HHS-OIG and our Medicaid Fraud Division, those who attempt to bilk government programs will be held accountable,” said Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr. “We are proud of this collaborative effort to stop the architects and implementers of these sophisticated healthcare schemes in their tracks.”
“The FBI and its Savannah Resident Agency are proud to have participated in this nationwide effort to help protect the much-needed federal funds that Medicare provides,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “When providers are driven by greed and abuse the Medicare program, every taxpaying citizen is a victim, especially those who use the federal funds for their health care needs. Improper billing inflates costs, and the FBI and its law enforcement partners are determined to hold those who do it accountable.”
“Being a healthcare professional in the Medicare program is a privilege, not a right. When physicians and other healthcare providers put their own financial gain above patient well-being and honest billing of government health programs, they violate the basic trust that taxpayers extend to healthcare professionals,” said Special Agent in Charge Derrick L. Jackson, with the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. “These charges put corrupt medical professionals on alert that law enforcement will do everything possible to root out all forms of waste, fraud and abuse in our federal health care programs.”
“This type of corruption involving health care fraud against Medicare and Medicaid has managed to defraud American taxpayers of millions upon millions of dollars,” said Resident Agent in Charge Glen M. Kessler of the U.S. Secret Service. “The U.S. Secret Service is always willing to take prompt and coordinated actions to hold these telemarketers and medical professionals responsible for placing personal greed above the good of the public.”
This investigation is ongoing. Any doctors or medical professionals who have been involved with alleged fraudulent telemedicine and medical equipment marketing schemes should report this conduct to the FBI hotline at 1-800-CALL-FBI. Any beneficiaries who believe their identity may have been used fraudulently also should contact the FBI hotline.
U.S. Attorney Christine acclaimed the hard work of the investigatory team, led by the FBI, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the United States Secret Service and the office of the Attorney General of Georgia.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys J. Thomas Clarkson and Jonathan A. Porter are prosecuting these cases on behalf of the United States, and Assistant Attorney General James P. Mooney is prosecuting cases on behalf of the Georgia Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.